Angels Sweep Dodgers, Mark Turning Point in Season

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Angels secured a crucial victory on Sunday, completing an improbable sweep of the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. This win marks a potential turning point in the Angels’ challenging season.

The Angels, currently at the bottom of the American League West with a 20-25 record, emerged victorious after facing a late-inning bullpen challenge. Travis d'Arnaud smacked a tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning, which was pivotal for the game. “It’s tremendous,” d’Arnaud said. “Every game here has felt like a playoff atmosphere. Everybody was passing the baton, having good at-bats up and down the lineup.”

The Angels hadn’t swept the Dodgers in a three-game series since 2010, and this success provides a glimmer of hope for their season. “It’s very good for our confidence moving forward, knowing we can beat anybody,” d’Arnaud added.

In the first two games of the series, the Angels dominated, batting .307 with 17 runs, four home runs, and eight doubles against Dodgers pitching. On Sunday, the Angels took an early 3-0 lead with d’Arnaud’s contribution and a two-run shot from another key player.

Yusei Kikuchi pitched well, giving up only one run and three hits over 5⅔ innings. However, he left with a no-decision after the Dodgers tied the game with a three-run homer in the seventh inning. Kikuchi holds an 0-4 record this season despite a respectable 3.50 ERA.

With key pitchers unavailable, 30-year-old right-hander Billy Anderson stepped up as both the setup man and closer. He retired the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings, finishing the game with a strikeout of 2024 National League MVP Shohei Ohtani. Manager Ron Washington praised Anderson’s performance, saying, “He really saved us.”

Anderson, who was credited with a blown save and a win, expressed optimism about the team, stating, “It kind of shows what the Angels have, you know? These guys want to win, and you can totally see it when you walk into the clubhouse.” The Angels’ bullpen, which entered the game with a major league-worst ERA of 7.04, managed to deliver in this crucial matchup.