ANAHEIM, Calif. — There’s never a bad time for a walk-off home run, but the Angels needed this one.
The Angels were staring at a 5-0 deficit in the sixth inning with a sweep looming at the hands of the team with the worst record in the American League, just three days after they stood pat at the deadline with the aspirations of playing competitive baseball down the stretch. But then the bats woke up.
A three-run sixth inning, two-run seventh and Taylor Ward’s three-run walk-off homer catapulted the Angels (54-58) to an 8-5 win over the White Sox (42-70).
“Definitely needed it,” Ward said. “The first two games were rough, but we didn’t stop fighting and got the win today.”
It was an ugly start for the Angels. Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz gave up three hits and a walk, including a three-run home run to shortstop Colson Montgomery, en route to a four-run first inning.
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Angels players visit Jack Kochanowicz #41 of the Los Angeles Angels on the mound during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 3, 2025 in Anaheim, California.
After having a conversation in the dugout with pitching coach Barry Enright, Kochanowicz settled in and went five more innings with only another run given up.
“When things are going sideways, you just tend to try harder, and try to just try harder,” Kochanowicz said. “Sometimes you just need to take a step back and relax. (Enright) told me just to be a little smoother out there.”
Kochanowicz finished the day going six innings while giving up five earned runs on nine hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
“I give (Kochanowicz) a lot of credit because that’s not easy to go down early like that to keep us in the game and give us that kind of effort, so it was good,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said.
Zach Neto led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to end the Angels’ streak of 16 consecutive scoreless innings, then Nolan Schanuel walked and Mike Trout doubled to put second and third with no outs. Ward hit a single to score Schanuel, and then a wild pitch scored Trout to bring the Angels within two runs.
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Zach Neto #9 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his home run during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 3, 2025 in Anaheim, California.
“It’s about time I get one in the air,” Neto said. “I really needed that one, and it kind of sparked the team a little bit.”
That was Neto’s first home run since July 11.
The Angels tagged on two more runs in the seventh, which started with Christian Moore’s leadoff single and Yoán Moncada followed by coming off the bench and getting a pinch-hit single of his own. Both runners scored when Neto drove a 1-2 pitch into the gap in left-center field for a double to tie the game at 5-5.
Schanuel hit a hussle-double and Trout was intentionally walked with one out in the ninth to set the stage for Ward to complete the comeback.
Ward worked a full count and drove a sweeper that was low and inside and drove it into the bullpens in left field for the walk-off three-run home run to avoid the sweep.
“It’s a big time,” Neto said. “Hopefully, things change and change the momentum that we had.”