ANAHEIM, Calif.—Taylor Ward’s two-run double into the left-center field gap scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, Kevin Pillar had a two-run homer among his three hits, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 4–3 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, May 28, to snap a three-game losing streak.
Ward attacked Clay Holmes’ first pitch and drove it over the head of Yankees’ left fielder Alex Verdugo. It rolled to the wall, allowing Mickey Moniak and Luis Rengifo to score.
“That’s the big hit we’ve been looking for,” Angels Manager Ron Washington said. “We’ve been putting ourselves in position, and Taylor came through for us.”
It marked just the second time in 29 games the Angels have won when trailing after seven innings.
“I took my shot there, came through, and put a good swing on it,“ Ward said. ”Glad it all worked out. He has a sinker, and tried to take a tight swing.”
It’s also only the seventh time in 26 games the Angels have won at home. Then again, it did feel a little bit like a road game, given the large number of New York fans in attendance.
Ward came up with a chance to deliver his big hit after Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo mishandled Rengifo’s ground ball for an error to keep the inning alive.
It was Rizzo’s third error in 55 games at first this season. He had four in 92 games last year.
“I need to make that play. That one stinks,” he said.
Matt Moore (1–1) got the win as the Angels’ bullpen retired the final 12 Yankees hitters they faced. Carlos Estévez retired the side in the ninth for his eighth save.
Juan Soto, who hit his 15th home run of the season in the first inning, couldn’t provide any late heroics as he flew out to right fielder Jo Adell to end the game. Soto, who homered for the fifth time in seven games, finished with two hits and two RBIs.
“For only three runs, I thought up and down the lineup we had good at bats and were hitting the ball off the barrel all night long. We couldn’t break it open,” Yankees Manager Aaron Boone said.
Anthony Volpe had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. It is the longest by a Yankees’ hitter since Robinson Canó’s 23-game run in 2012.
Luke Weaver (3–1) took the loss.
Austin Wells gave the Yankees a 3–2 lead in the fifth with a double off the wall in right-center to drive in Rizzo. Gleyber Torres tried to score from first, but was easily tagged at the plate by Angels’ catcher Logan O’Hoppe after the relay throw from second baseman Kyren Paris.
New York’s Nestor Cortes allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four in 5 1/3 innings. In his past three starts, the left-hander has given up three runs, including one unearned run, in 17 1/3 innings.
Cortes had not allowed an earned run in 15 2/3 innings until Pillar’s two-run homer in the first, which just cleared the short fence in the left-field corner.
