Angels rally late but fall to Nationals 6-5 in 10 innings
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
WASHINGTON — The Angels overcame a four-run deficit to take a late lead Saturday, but could not finish off the Washington Nationals, falling 6-5 in 10 innings after a ninth-inning rally and a decisive defensive miscue.
CJ Abrams scored the winning run when shortstop Zach Neto could not handle Harry Ford’s grounder with the infield drawn in during the 10th. The error handed José Fermín (4-3) the loss and dropped Los Angeles to 4-14 in extra-inning games this season.
The finish erased an Angels comeback that began after Nationals left-hander Andrew Alvarez departed with a 4-0 lead. Alvarez limited Los Angeles to one hit over seven scoreless innings, striking out a career-high eight in the longest outing of his major league career.
Vaughn Grissom sparked the Angels’ offense with a two-run homer during a three-run eighth inning against Brad Lord. Los Angeles eventually moved ahead 5-4, with Wade Meckler, Denzer Guzman and Moisés Ballesteros each contributing an RBI during the comeback.
The rally saddled Washington’s bullpen with its 39th blown save, extending its major league record. But the Nationals answered in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game on Andrés Chaparro’s single against Ben Joyce before winning it an inning later.
Jack Sinclair (1-0) recorded four outs to earn his first career victory.
For most of the afternoon, Alvarez kept the Angels’ lineup quiet. The 27-year-old struck out Mike Trout twice and worked around four walks, allowing only José Siri’s sixth-inning double down the left-field line. He threw 61 of his 97 pitches for strikes and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced in his 20th career start.
Alvarez had previously carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning of his major league debut against Miami on Sept. 1, 2025. Saturday’s performance put Washington in position to win comfortably before its bullpen surrendered the lead.
The Nationals built their early advantage with a three-run second inning that included a two-run single from Abimelec Ortiz. Jacob Young and Keibert Ruiz also drove in runs as Washington moved ahead 4-0.
The Angels will send right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (4-7, 6.28 ERA) to the mound in the series finale against Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (2-9, 5.52 ERA).
