The Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Thursday as Zach Neto's three-run home run provided the decisive blow in a game the Angels seized control of in the third inning.
Baltimore starter Brandon Young absorbed the loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits over 4.1 innings. The Orioles' offense managed just four hits, with stars such as Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday held hitless, though Henderson did walk three times. Yohel Pozo provided the only real bright spot, hitting a solo home run as part of a 1-for-3 performance.
Angels starter Ryan Johnson worked 4.2 innings before an effective bullpen combination of Luke Murphy, Tayler Saucedo, Mitch Farris, and Samy Natera Jr. closed it out, with Natera earning the save.
"We did a great job of making them work - at-bat quality was great: eight walks, hit by pitch - we just couldn't get that big hit that we needed," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said.
They had chances, like with two on and two out in the sixth, but Colton Coswer struck out.
Neto finished 2-for-5 with the homer and three RBI to lead the Angels' offense. Wade Meckler added two hits and scored twice, while Jose Siri and Vaughn Grissom each contributed two hits. After Neto's blast to right-center in the third against Young, the Angels added an insurance run in the seventh to push the lead to 4-1.
The Orioles (56-59) are one game back of the final wild-card spot with the loss and start a three-game series with the current holder of that spot, the Texas Rangers (57-58), in Arlington on Friday night.