Ben Joyce threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his second save of the season as the Los Angeles Angels edged the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Friday in Anaheim, Calif.
Joyce and four other Angels relievers combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Jose Soriano. Brock Burke (1-0) registered five outs and earned the win in his Angels debut.
Joyce entered the game with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth inning, the Angels clinging to a 3-2 lead. After a first-pitch strike, he induced an inning-ending double-play grounder from Whit Merrifield.
In the ninth, Joyce, who had five pitches clocked at 102 mph or faster, gave up a broken-bat, two-out single to Marcell Ozuna. However, he retired Matt Olson on a grounder to first to end it.
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe snapped an 0-for-29 slide with a game-tying two-run homer in the fourth inning. Mickey Moniak’s RBI double in the sixth was the game-winner.
Both starting pitchers began the game with three scoreless innings before the Braves broke through for two runs against Soriano in the fourth.
Ozuna began the inning with a single and went to second when Olson walked. Sean Murphy followed with a single to drive home Ozuna.
One out later, Jarred Kelenic’s infield single knocked in Olson for a 2-0 Braves lead.
The Angels got even in their half of the fourth against Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach (4-6) on the two-run homer by O’Hoppe, who went into the game 0-for-28 with all of the at-bats coming while batting third. He hit in the fifth spot on Friday, and after striking out in his first at-bat, went deep for his 17th homer of the season.
The Angels took the lead on Moniak’s RBI double in the sixth but missed a chance for more. With runners on second and third and two outs, Jo Adell hit a sharp grounder that appeared headed down the left field line. However, Braves third baseman Austin Riley made a diving backhanded grab and threw out Adell.
Adell might have beaten the throw to first, but instead of running through the first base bag, he veered off the baseline and rounded the bag because first base coach Bo Porter was waving him to second.
Schwellenbach allowed three runs on four hits in five-plus innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
–Field Level Media