The Los Angeles Angels wasted no time taking control Tuesday night, erupting for five runs in the opening inning before rookie right-hander Walbert Urena delivered another composed performance on the mound to secure a 5-1 win over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
The victory marked the Angels’ third consecutive win, while the Cardinals continued their recent slide, dropping four straight games and five of their last six.
Urena (6-7) made the early offensive explosion stand up with six strong innings. The hard-throwing rookie surrendered just one run on six hits, issued only one walk, and struck out five while consistently overpowering St. Louis hitters with his electric fastball.
The young right-hander immediately showcased his elite velocity in the opening inning, firing 28 pitches, including 16 that reached at least 100 mph, with his fastest pitch touching 101.5 mph. After Urena exited, the Angels’ bullpen kept the Cardinals in check as Mitch Farris, Chase Silseth, and Ryan Zefferjahn combined for three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to close out the victory.
Angels Strike Early with Five-Run Outburst
Los Angeles put the game out of reach almost immediately, sending shockwaves through the Cardinals in a dominant first inning.
The Angels had each of their first six batters reach base, putting immediate pressure on Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore.
Zach Neto and Mike Trout opened the game with consecutive singles, although Neto was thrown out trying to advance from first to third on an impressive throw from left fielder Lars Nootbaar.
After Nolan Schanuel worked a walk, Jorge Soler ripped a two-run double into the left-field corner, driving home Trout and Schanuel to give Los Angeles an early 2-0 advantage.
Moments later, Vaughn Grissom lined an RBI single to score Soler, extending the lead to 3-0.
The biggest blow came from Jo Adell, who continued his outstanding series. One night after delivering the game-winning moment in Monday’s opener by being hit with the bases loaded, Adell crushed a 405-foot two-run homer into the Cardinals’ bullpen in left field for his 15th home run of the season, stretching the Angels’ lead to 5-0 before St. Louis could settle into the game.
Balanced Offensive Effort
Adell finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Soler’s two-run double proved equally damaging during the opening rally.
Jose Siri also contributed a strong offensive performance, collecting two hits, including a double, while Neto added two hits as the Angels consistently put runners on base throughout the evening.
The balanced attack gave Urena plenty of breathing room, allowing the rookie to attack hitters aggressively and pitch with confidence.
Cardinals Unable to Recover
St. Louis finally broke through in the fifth inning after Blaze Jordan singled and advanced to third on a hit by Bryan Torres. JJ Wetherholt then brought Jordan home with a fielder’s choice to score the Cardinals’ only run of the night.
Despite the brief rally, St. Louis struggled to generate sustained offense against Urena and the Angels’ bullpen.
Alec Burleson provided one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals, finishing 3-for-4 with three of the club’s seven hits.
Liberatore (5-7) settled down after the disastrous first inning but could not recover from the early damage. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, while striking out seven and walking two before leaving with another loss.
With another convincing victory fueled by early offense and dominant pitching, the Angels continue to build momentum, while the Cardinals will look to halt their losing streak as the series continues.
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