The finally seemed to have a fairy tale moment, only for the Angels to rewrite the ending with a walk-off win. In the top of the ninth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani delivered a crucial blow, breaking the tie and pushing the toward a much-needed victory late in the season.
Kenley Jansen took the mound, and as the crowd at Anaheim rose to their feet, Ohtani launched a towering home run to right field, igniting the ‘ dugout. After a series of recent late-game collapses, the team was just three outs away from turning their luck around.
However, the found yet another way to falter. They allowed the Angels to come back, with Alex Vesia giving up a leadoff single, a walk, and eventually a sacrifice fly by Nolan Chaneul that tied the game.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Angels secured their fifth win over the this season with Joe Adele’s walk-off RBI single. The ’ 7-6 loss marked another low point in their spiraling season.
Now, the have lost three of their last four games since July 4th. They are tied with the San Diego Padres in the standings, and the Padres will visit Stadium with momentum this weekend, setting the stage for a crucial showdown.
Tuesday’s game highlighted ongoing struggles for the . Emmett Sheehan surrendered five runs in five innings, and although the erased an early two-run deficit, they fell behind again and left the bases loaded with the score tied in the fifth inning. Ohtani also caused a devastating triple play with two runners on base during the sixth inning.
But unlike previous games, this potential turning point only resulted in more heartbreak.
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(This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.)
Fan Take: This dramatic loss underscores how even top teams like the can struggle under pressure, highlighting the unpredictable and thrilling nature of baseball. For fans, it serves as a reminder that the sport’s excitement comes not just from triumphs but also from the resilience teams show in tough moments.
