ANAHEIM, Calif. — In a matchup between two struggling teams, the Los Angeles Angels emerged victorious with a 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night. Matthew Lugo had a standout performance, hitting an RBI triple in the fourth inning for his first major league hit, while Jo Adell added to the scoreboard with a home run.
Angels’ pitcher Jack Kochanowicz (2-5) ended a personal slump, bringing an end to his five-start losing streak. He effectively managed the Orioles’ lineup, allowing just one run on four hits and four walks into the sixth inning. Despite their efforts, Baltimore fell short, accumulating only six hits across five Angels pitchers.
For the Orioles, Ramón Laureano and Ryan Mountcastle contributed to the offense, with Laureano hitting a home run and Mountcastle providing an RBI double. Nevertheless, the Orioles faced challenges at the plate and have now lost six of their last seven games.
Lugo, who initially entered the league as a pinch-runner on Friday, went 1-for-4 during his first start. He is notably the nephew of Carlos Beltrán and was a second-round pick by Boston. Lugo is also one of the four prospects obtained last year from a trade for reliever Luis García, now emerging in an Angels uniform.
Orioles’ pitcher Kyle Gibson (0-2) faced difficulties, yielding five runs on seven hits and three walks in what was his third start in Baltimore’s rotation, strained by injuries. He has yet to complete the fifth inning in any of his appearances for the Orioles.
The Angels capitalized early on, quickly getting three singles off Gibson’s opening seven pitches and securing two runs in the first inning. In the fifth, Luis Rengifo added a bases-loaded RBI groundout, further pressuring Gibson and the Orioles.
Baltimore managed to respond in the sixth inning when Gunnar Henderson singled and crossed home on Mountcastle’s two-out double, briefly reducing the deficit.
A key moment unfolded when Adell launched his third homer in five games during the fourth. Kyren Paris followed with a single, setting the stage for Lugo’s 399-foot triple deep into center field.
In a notable statistic, Laureano’s pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning marked the first for Baltimore since June 6 of the previous season, although it proved too late to impact the outcome.
Looking forward, the Angels will have Tyler Anderson (2-0, 2.68 ERA) on the mound Sunday. The Orioles anticipate Zach Eflin’s (2-1, 3.00 ERA) return from a month-long absence due to a strained back muscle.