In a tense showdown at Yankee Stadium on Monday night, the Los Angeles Angels snapped their three-game losing streak with a gritty 1-0, 11-inning victory over the New York Yankees, thanks largely to a masterful pitching performance by right-hander Jose Soriano. The 26-year-old Soriano delivered seven scoreless innings, scattering six hits, walking just one, and striking out six in a 101-pitch outing that showcased his growing consistency and poise on the mound.
Angels manager Ron Washington praised the pitching staff for their combined effort against one of the American League's most potent lineups. "Awesome," Washington said. "From Soriano all the way till I gave the ball to (Hunter) Strickland, they all came in and did a tremendous job against a good hitting lineup." The Yankees, who feature the league's best hitting lineup, had slugger Giancarlo Stanton back in the lineup for the first time this season after an elbow injury sidelined him. Despite this, the Angels managed to keep the Yankees off the scoreboard, even as New York had a runner at second base with no outs on four separate occasions, including automatic runners in the 10th and 11th innings.
The Angels' offense was quiet for most of the game, not scoring until Nolan Schanuel delivered a one-out opposite field double in the top of the 11th inning. Schanuel, who was playing as a left-handed hitter against a defense shading him to pull the ball, poked a grounder inside third base to bring home the go-ahead run. "One of the best feelings," Schanuel said of the pivotal hit. "It's what we live for." The Angels then faced a tense bottom of the 11th, where after an intentional walk to Aaron Judge loaded the bases, left-hander Brock Burke induced a deep fly ball from Cody Bellinger, allowing Paul Goldschmidt to tag and advance to third base. A blooper to second baseman Christian Moore by Jasson Dominguez resulted in Goldschmidt being thrown out at the plate, and after an infield hit loaded the bases with two outs, Hunter Strickland entered to retire Anthony Volpe on a one-pitch grounder to end the game.
Soriano's seven innings were a continuation of his recent dominance, following a season-high 12 strikeout performance against the Athletics just a week earlier. Over the two outings, he allowed just one run in 14 innings, becoming the first Angels pitcher this season to throw seven innings in consecutive starts. His ERA dropped to 3.54 on the season, and his control showed marked improvement after a stretch of seven straight starts with multiple walks. "I feel great," Soriano said through an interpreter. "I feel great because I've been working hard to have these kind of outings, and everything went well."
While Soriano was challenged early, giving up back-to-back one-out singles in the first inning, he escaped trouble by inducing groundouts from Bellinger and Stanton. He also allowed a leadoff double to Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the second inning but retired the next three batters to keep the Yankees off the board.
On the other side, Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt matched Soriano's scoreless effort, pitching seven innings without allowing a run. Schmidt, who had previously shut out the Angels over six innings at Angel Stadium in May, struck out seven and allowed just three hits and three walks. The Angels managed only five hits off Schmidt, with singles from Zach Neto and Mike Trout in the first inning and a bloop single from Schanuel in the sixth. The Angels' contact rate was better than usual, striking out only three times against Schmidt, a notable improvement for a team that has struggled with strikeouts all season.
The Yankees' offense struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the game. In the ninth inning, Trout and Jorge Soler singled, but a groundout from Logan O'Hoppe ended the threat. In the bottom of the ninth, Kenley Jansen came on in relief and helped the Yankees navigate a leadoff double, aided by a crucial tag out at third base by third baseman Luis Rengifo on Jasson Dominguez. Right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn then retired three consecutive batters in the 10th to prevent Aaron Judge from coming to the plate. Judge, who was intentionally walked twice during the game, had a single and a 401-foot fly out to center field in his other three at-bats.
The game was the first of a four-game series between the Angels and Yankees, with the Yankees entering the contest leading the season series 3-0. Coming into the game, the Angels had a 33-37 record and were on a three-game skid, while the Yankees stood at 42-28 after being swept by the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. The Yankees had a 3.5-game lead in the AL East but were looking to halt their recent slide with Schmidt on the mound. Soriano was the bright spot for the Angels, who had struggled on the road with a 0-3 record on their current road trip and had dropped six of their last eight away games.
Leading up to the game, betting odds favored the Yankees heavily, with a moneyline of -210 compared to the Angels' +170. The run line was set at Angels +1.5 (-125) and Yankees -1.5 (+105), with an over/under total of 8.5 runs. Analysts predicted a Yankees win but cautioned about the value of the bet, given the pitching matchup and recent offensive struggles. The Yankees, despite their strong home record of 21-12, had been inconsistent offensively, ranking 21st in runs scored over the previous 15 days.
Jose Soriano's ability to limit the long ball was a key factor, having allowed only three home runs all season, while the Angels' bullpen ranked 28th in MLB with a 5.56 ERA and had surrendered the most home runs in the league (43). The Yankees' Aaron Judge was a popular prop bet to hit a home run, boasting 26 homers on the season with a .378 batting average and 1.228 OPS.
With this victory, the Angels not only ended their losing streak but also showcased Soriano's development into a reliable starter capable of handling high-pressure situations. Manager Ron Washington acknowledged the progress, saying, "It's gonna take more time, but he has developed. He has shown back-to-back days that he had the ball, the consistency of what he could do. Now he's just got to start sustaining it. We always knew he had good stuff, and he's only in the second year of starting, so there's still a lot for him to learn. But I tell you what, he has it."
As the series continues, the Angels will look to build on this momentum with Soriano scheduled to make his next start at home against the Houston Astros during the weekend of June 21-22. Meanwhile, the Yankees aim to regroup and regain their offensive rhythm as they seek to maintain their division lead in the tightly contested AL East.
The Monday night duel at Yankee Stadium was a reminder that in baseball, even the most dominant lineups can be stifled by determined pitching and timely hitting. The Angels' resilience and Soriano's standout performance set the tone for a competitive series ahead, with both teams eager to assert their place in the playoff race as the season progresses.
