Patrick Sandoval tossed six solid innings and earned the win Friday night as the visiting Los Angeles Angels edged the New York Mets 3-1 in the opener of a three-game series.
Brandon Drury hit a third-inning sacrifice fly and Mike Moustakas immediately followed with an RBI single for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Nolan Schanuel added a run-scoring single in the ninth.
Shohei Ohtani, serving as the Angels’ designated hitter in his first game after being shut down from pitching due to an elbow injury, went 1-for-2 with a double and three walks.
Francisco Lindor homered for the Mets, who have lost three straight and four of five.
Sandoval (7-10) gave up one run on two hits and four walks while striking out seven en route to his first win since July 27. Matt Moore and Reynaldo Lopez each threw an inning before Carlos Estevez worked around a two-out single by Jonathan Arauz in the ninth to notch his 27th save.
Mets starter Kodai Senga (10-7) took the hard-luck loss after allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out 10 over 6 2/3 innings.
The Angels stranded three runners in the first two innings before snapping a scoreless tie in the third. Senga plunked Schanuel with a pitch and gave up a double to Ohtani before Schanuel trotted home on Drury’s flyout. Moustakas’ single to center brought home Ohtani.
Lindor homered for the Mets’ first hit with two outs in the bottom of the third, his 24th of the season. Jeff McNeil followed with a double and Pete Alonso worked a walk before Sandoval struck out Francisco Alvarez. New York had just one more baserunner against Sandoval, a sixth-inning Alonso walk.
The Mets nearly tied the game in the seventh. Danny Mendick led off with a double and Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe misplayed Arauz’s bunt before Moore struck out Tim Locastro. Brandon Nimmo followed with a flyout to left, and Mendick was thrown out by Randal Grichuk trying to tag up and score.
The Angels added an insurance run in the ninth. Hunter Renfroe walked with one out and raced to third when Sam Coonrod uncorked a wild pitch while walking Randal Grichuk. After Brooks Raley took over on the mound, Schanuel delivered an RBI single to center.
–Field Level Media
