The Los Angeles Angels snapped a three-game losing streak with an 11-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the series finale Wednesday, avoiding a sweep and building momentum ahead of the second edition of the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which begins Friday.
The Angels’ offense delivered one of its best performances of the season, finishing with 16 hits and drawing three walks. Infielder Nick Madrigal and left fielder Wade Meckler led the charge with four hits apiece, combining to go 8-for-10 with three runs scored and one RBI. First baseman Vaughn Grissom also had a strong night, going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs as Los Angeles pulled away early and kept pressure on Colorado’s pitching staff throughout the game.
Much of the damage came against Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen, who struggled through 3.1 innings. Lorenzen was charged with eight runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out five, taking his eighth loss of the season. The Angels capitalized on his lack of command and consistently put runners on base, turning scoring opportunities into a decisive win.
On the mound, rookie right-hander Walbert Urena continued his strong run since joining the starting rotation. Urena worked six innings, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven. The outing marked his fifth quality start and third major league win. Through 11 appearances, including nine starts, he has compiled a 3-4 record with a 2.68 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and 48 strikeouts over 50.1 innings, giving the Angels a promising arm during an important stretch of the season.
The win comes at a key time as the Angels prepare to face the Dodgers again after a lopsided first Freeway Series meeting in mid-May. In that earlier matchup, the Dodgers swept all three games and outscored the Angels 31-3, underscoring the challenge awaiting Los Angeles in the rematch.
Game 1 of the upcoming series features a pitching duel between Angels left-hander Reid Detmers and Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki. Detmers has shown flashes of dominance recently, including an eight-inning, 14-strikeout performance against the Texas Rangers on May 24. He enters the game with a 2-5 record, a 4.63 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, along with 82 strikeouts in 68 innings across 12 starts. In his last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, Detmers allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out seven over five innings in a win.
Sasaki has posted similar numbers this season, going 3-3 with a 4.59 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and 50 strikeouts over 51 innings in 10 starts. In his most recent appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies, he allowed one run on three hits and one walk while striking out seven in 5.1 innings. He previously dominated the Angels on May 17, throwing seven innings of one-run ball in a 10-1 Dodgers win.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PDT, with the game available on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.
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