Jo Adell had a bases-clearing double in a four-run ninth inning against San Francisco closer Ryan Walker and the Angels rallied to beat the Giants 5-4 on Sunday, spoiling the day for Justin Verlander in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Verlander was in line for his first victory in his fifth start with the Giants leading 4-1. But Walker (0-1) walked Mike Trout leading off and Jorge Soler followed with a single. Logan O’Hoppe had a one-out hit to load the bases before Walker hit Zach Neto to force in a run. Adell hit a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line.
Verlander gave up just two hits and a run in six innings with six strikeouts. He fanned Trout twice on 96- and 97-mph fastballs.
Yusei Kikuchi allowed an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings for the Angels. He was in line for the loss after he walked Tyler Fitzgerald on his 102nd pitch and Sam Huff greeted reliever Brock Burke with a two-run homer. Fitzgerald walked and scored on Willy Adames single off Michael Darrell-Hicks in the eighth.
Adames singled in Heliot Ramos in the fifth for a 1-0 lead.
The Angels tied it when Neto homered on the first pitch from Verlander in the bottom half.
Kikuchi gave up five hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Darrell-Hicks (1-0) notched his first career win.
Key moment
Verlander ran into trouble in the fourth after pitching three hitless innings. The Angels loaded the bases with two out, but Verlander struck out O’Hoppe swinging to end it.
Key stat
Huff’s home run was his 11th in 86 career games and his first since 2023 while a member of the Rangers.
Up next
The Giants send Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.19) out for Monday’s opener of a four-game series with the visiting Brewers. Quinn Priester (1-0, 0.90) starts for Milwaukee.
The Angels end a homestand with three against the Pirates. José Soriano (2-2, 3.16) starts Tuesday’s opener for the Angels against Bailey Falter (1-2, 4.91).