Kent Bewley's News Story Collection

On Mon, Jul 20, the Los Angeles Angels hosted the St. Louis Cardinals in the opening game of a three-game series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. The Angels were coming off a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers, who won the first two games of the previous series. With the worst record in MLB through 100 games played, the Halos were in desperate need of another good win and they were facing a Cardinals team that is currently in a intriguing position in holding the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. Wearing their throwback uniforms that the “California Angels” wore from 1972 through the late 1980s, these Halos would have José Soriano take the mound in this game while the visitors from St. Louis countered with Kyle Leahy.

The game commenced with both starters pitching solid first innings, but in the top of the second, Soriano found himself in some trouble as he gave up a leadoff double to Jordan Walker(who won the Home Run Derby a week beforehand in Philadelphia) and a single to Lars Nootbaar that advanced Walker to third. After striking out Masyn Winn, Soriano faced center fielder Nathan Church, who got his first base hit in thirty at-bats with an RBI single that scored Walker. With runners at the corners, Soriano next faced third baseman Blaze Jordan, who hit a first-pitch sinker straight to Denzer Guzman at third base. Guzman had trouble handling the ball and was unable to turn a potential double play that would have prevented a run from scoring. Guzman instead got Jordan out at first base for an RBI groundout that scored Nootbaar to put the Cardinals up 2-0. Soriano struck out catcher Jimmy Crooks to end the inning.

The Angels responded in the bottom of the third as Jo Adell hit a curveball out to left field for a solo home run. The first run and hit of the game as Adell had his team-leading 54th RBI. But Leahy showed that he was in sharp command of the Halos’ bats for the majority of his outing. Meanwhile, Soriano held down the St. Louis bats and got lucky with a putout of Church at second base with a tag by Zach Neto when Church was off the base. Soriano retired the last 15 batters he faced in his seven innings of work, which featured seven strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Angels bats were not able to get enough run support to guarantee Soriano a win, which continued a stretch of six consecutive starts for him without a winning decision.

In the eighth inning, Samy Natera Jr relieved Soriano and sat down each of the three batters he faced. In the bottom of the eighth, the Halos looked to score off a reliever for the Cardinals named George Soriano, who is also from the Dominican Republic like his older counterpart on the Angels. Adell hit a leadoff single, but was unable to advance as Guzman, Wade Meckler(who pinch-hit for Logan O’Hoppe) and Neto were all retired in order. Heading into the ninth inning trailing usually means defeat for this 2026 Halos squad, which entered this game a horrendous 0-48 when losing through eight innings.

José Fermin entered to pitch for the Angels and he struck out the first two batters he faced. But Fermin walked the giant right fielder Walker, who stole second base in the next at-bat. However, Fermin got Nootbaar to fly out to end the inning and the Cardinals were stuck with two runs. They could have gotten an and-on run in the sixth inning when first baseman Alec Burleson hit a ball way deep to center field, but the Big A held the ball as Mike Trout made the catch out in center field. Now down to their last chance, the Angels had Trout, Nolan Schanuel(who had reached base twice) and Jorge Soler due up against the All-Star closer for St. Louis in Riley O’Brien, who threw an inside heater in the All-Star Game that hit the wrist of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who had to exit the game. But Caminero was fine as X-rays on his wrist came back negative.

O’Brien started out the inning by striking out Trout on an outside four-seamer. But Schanuel managed to hit a 2-1 sinker out to right field for his second single of the night. Schanuel was pinch-run for by Oswald Peraza, who represented the game-tying run. Soler was up next and he had himself a tough night up to that point. But Soler managed to work a full count against O’Brien, who threw a sweeper inside that hit Soler. With two runners on base now, Kurt Suzuki decided to bring in his final bench player in Jose Siri to pinch-run for Soler in representing the game-winning run. Vaughn Grissom was up next and on the second pitch he saw hit a ball out to right field that nearly went over the yellow line that separated the lower wall from the “bullseye” on the right field pavilion. Peraza scored from second base while Siri had to hold up at third base as a result of him being unsure whether Walker would catch the ball out in right field. Grissom had an RBI double to tie the game and with an open base, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol decided to intentionally walk Josh Lowe to load up the bases. Hoping for a double-play to force extras, Marmol would have O’Brien face Adell, who had gotten two hits prior to this at-bat. With no margin for error, the pressure was on the young closer.

The first three pitches O’Brien threw to Adell were called balls, including the second pitch which was initially called a strike but Adell used the one ABS challenge left remaining on the Angels’ side to successfully overturn the call. On the 3-0 pitch, O’Brien threw an inside heater that hit Adell on the triceps and it was game over. The Halos had won on a walk-off hit-by-pitch. Adell was the walk-off hero as Siri touched home plate. An incredible comeback win for the Angels, who won their 40th game of the season and the first one of the year when trailing after eight innings of play. It was another tight win for the Halos over a franchise that the 1982 version of the team could have faced in the World Series if not for an ALCS defeat to the-then American League East winning Milwaukee Brewers. The seventh walk-off win for the Angels in 2026 and far from the oddest one in the season.

Fermin was the winning pitcher while Soriano was spared of the loss. With another close win and walk-off at that, the Halos will seek to win the series over St. Louis for their first series win in more than three weeks. The pitching was stellar in this game for the Angels, whose bats decided to have a late surge in this splendid victory that was broadcast on ESPN, which hadn’t shown an Angels game on its main network in three years. A good win for the Halos on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.