ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Zach Neto had an RBI single and scored during the Angels’ three-run third inning, and Los Angeles snapped its three-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
Nolan Schanuel and Vaughn Grissom also drove in runs during the only scoring rally by the MLB-worst Halos, who won for just the fourth time in 14 games.
Joc Pederson hit his seventh leadoff homer of the season and Jarred Kelenic drove in his first
run since May 15 for the Rangers, who lost for only the second time in seven games.
Cody Bradford (0-1) pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for Texas in his second start since returning from elbow surgery, which had sidelined him since 2024.
Ryan Johnson pitched three-hit ball into the fifth inning for the Angels, striking out five. Reliever José Fermin (4-2) got four outs, and rookie Samy Natera pitched the ninth for his third save.
Pederson hammered Johnson's third pitch 416 feet into the ficus trees behind center field for his 21st homer of the season and the 33rd career leadoff shot by the former Dodgers slugger.
Wade Meckler singled in the third and scored on a single by Neto, who stole third and scored on Schanuel's flyout before Grissom doubled home Mike Trout.
Brandon Nimmo singled in the sixth and eventually scored on a soft single by pinch-hitter Kelenic, who rejoined the Rangers' roster earlier Tuesday for his third stint with the club that designated him for assignment in June and released him in July, only to re-sign him twice.
Texas didn't get another hit after Kelenic's single. The Rangers stranded eight.
The Angels fired former Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux and two of his assistants earlier Tuesday.
George Klassen (0-1, 7.27 ERA) starts for the Angels on Wednesday in the third meeting of this four-game AL West series. Cal Quantrill (4-4, 3.56) pitches for the Rangers.
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