Angels center fielder Jo Adell, right, and shortstop Zach Neto celebrate after the team’s win in a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen gestures after Detroit Tigers pinch hitter Riley Greene struck out swinging to end a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels’ Luis Rengifo watches his solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, right, throws out Detroit Tigers’ Andy Ibanez (not shown) at first base during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels right fielder Gustavo Campero catches a flyout hit by Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson, right, is tagged out at second base by Angels shortstop Zach Neto, front left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Detroit Tigers’ Javier Baez, right, steals second against Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo, left, during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels right fielder Gustavo Campero, right, attempts to throw out Detroit Tigers’ Javier Baez at third during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Charlie Morton throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Angels, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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Angels center fielder Jo Adell, right, and shortstop Zach Neto celebrate after the team’s win in a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
DETROIT — The Angels’ offense this season has been defined by two things: strikeouts and home runs.
On a night that began with eight strikeouts in the first three innings, the Angels ended up wiping all that away with three homers in a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
“It’s really nice,” said Taylor Ward, whose two-run homer in the fifth snapped a tie. “I don’t know if guys are trying to hit homers or we’re just capable of doing it. But it’s a great feeling, definitely knowing that we could be in any ball game at any point. Hopefully, we keep that rolling.”
The Angels rank in the bottom half of the majors in most offensive categories, and their 1,140 strikeouts are the most in the majors. They’ve also hit 167 homers, which ranks third in the majors.
Ward’s homer was sandwiched between Jo Adell’s three-run blast in the fourth inning and Luis Rengifo’s solo shot in the eighth, which gave the bullpen an extra cushion.
That was enough for the Angels (56-61) to snap their three-game losing streak.
It wasn’t looking good for the Angels when they struck out eight times in the first three innings against Charlie Morton. They trailed 2-1 in the fourth when Ward singled. Yoán Moncada was hit by a pitch, bringing Adell to the plate.
Adell pounded a 400-foot homer to left field, his 25th of the season and fourth this week.
“It was a matter of time,” Adell said. “We were gonna see him a couple times. We were gonna try to hopefully put better at-bats together, and we did once we got to the second time through. That’s what this offense can do. We just adjust and try to adapt, and good things happen.”
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi gave back that lead, but Ward put the Angels on top again in the next inning, with his 27th homer. That extended his ongoing career high.
Rengifo’s homer in the eighth padded the lead to three runs, and the Angels’ bullpen held it.
Right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn and left-hander Brock Burke each worked scoreless innings with a two-run lead, and then Luis Garcia and closer Kenley Jansen handled the final two with the extra cushion. It was Jansen’s 21st save of the season and 468th of his career.
“They’ve had their hiccups, and we focus on that stuff,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said of the bullpen. “But for the most part, these guys come in and give it to us every night. So I can’t say enough about them.”
They preserved a victory for Kikuchi on a night when he struggled through five innings, allowing four runs. Kikuchi had back-to-back 25-pitch innings in the second and third, on his way to 102 pitches.
The Tigers had eight hits against him, and he walked two hitters. He also allowed the leadoff batter to reach in each of the five innings, so he threw almost all of his pitches under some stress.
“I knew going in that they’re a pretty good lineup, especially when they see a lefty,” Kikuchi said through his interpreter. “I knew I was going to give up some hits and was going to have to grind through that. I definitely just didn’t want to give up the big hits. So I think I avoided the long ball today. I was able to somehow grind and get through that game.”
The pitch count has been a problem for Kikuchi for months. He’s thrown at least 91 pitches in his last eight starts, but only once in that span has he finished the sixth inning.
“It wasn’t maybe his best effort in terms of what he might think,” Montgomery said of Saturday’s game, “but as far as what we needed, he gave us everything we needed.”
Originally Published: August 9, 2025 at 6:26 PM PDT