Jo Adell's huge homer & Yusei Kikuchi's gem led the Angels to a 5-1 win over the Rays on Aug 5, 2025. See how the Halos secured their second straight victory.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you think you know what this Angels team is, they pull you back in. Riding the high of a dominant 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, the Halos showed flashes of the exciting, well-rounded team fans have been waiting for, extending their modest win streak to two games and bringing a renewed sense of energy to the Big A.
Jo Adell's towering 428-foot, two-run homer was the exclamation point on a night where the Angels' offense finally clicked.
The win was built on the left arm of Yusei Kikuchi, who delivered one of his best starts of the season. The veteran lefty was in command from the jump, allowing just one run on four hits over six masterful innings while striking out seven Rays hitters. After Tampa Bay scratched across a run in the first, Kikuchi settled in and completely shut them down. The bullpen followed suit, combining with Kikuchi for a total of 12 strikeouts on the night, silencing a potent Rays lineup.
While the pitching was stellar, the offense provided more than enough support. Jo Adell broke the game open with a monstrous 428-foot, two-run homer that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Not to be outdone, Taylor Ward came through with a crucial two-run single and finished the night with three hits. Perhaps the most exciting story was center fielder Bryce Teodosio, who, in his first game since being called up from Triple-A, also collected three hits. An RBI double from Zach Neto rounded out the scoring in a comprehensive offensive performance.
Monday's victory felt like the first positive return on a flurry of recent front-office activity. Teodosio's immediate impact comes just days after the team released veterans LaMonte Wade Jr. and Kevin Newman. The club also made moves with its pitching staff, outrighting reliever José Quijada to Salt Lake and, more significantly, acquiring veteran bullpen arms Andrew Chafin and Luis García from the Nationals at the trade deadline. These moves signal a clear attempt to shake things up and strengthen the roster for the final stretch of the season.
The Angels will look to build on this momentum and secure a series win against the Rays on Tuesday night. With José Soriano (7-8, 3.65 ERA) taking the mound against Tampa Bay's Ryan Pepiot, the team has a prime opportunity to prove that this recent success is more than just a flash in the pan. Can the newly constructed roster continue to gel and make a late-season push? Tuesday's game will be the next big test.
