Angels top Yankees 1-0 in an 11-inning thriller on June 17, 2025. Rookie Christian Moore scores the winner on a Nolan Schanuel double in a classic pitching duel.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
In a game that felt more like an October classic than a Tuesday in June, the Los Angeles Angels dug deep, showcasing incredible grit and pitching to steal a 1-0 victory from the New York Yankees in 11 grueling innings. Nolan Schanuel played the hero with a decisive RBI double, but the story of the night was a combination of lockdown relief and a fairytale moment for a New York City kid making his mark in the Bronx.
The Yankees went a staggering 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position, a testament to the Angels' clutch pitching and defense all night long.
You couldn't write a better script. Christian Moore, playing in front of a hometown crowd in New York City, announced his arrival to the big leagues in spectacular fashion. The rookie laced a triple for his first career MLB hit in the eighth inning, a moment that already had Angels fans buzzing. But he wasn't done. In the top of the 11th, Moore found himself on base again and raced home to score the game's only run on Nolan Schanuel's double. It was a storybook performance that provided the emotional core of a hard-fought team victory.
This win simply doesn't happen without the Angels' bullpen. After a strong start from Jose Soriano, the relief corps was tasked with navigating a minefield of high-leverage situations, and they were flawless. Ryan Zeferjahn earned the win with a hitless 10th inning, and Hunter Strickland sealed the deal for his first save of the season. Strickland's final act was inducing a game-ending forceout from Anthony Volpe with the bases loaded, a heart-stopping end to a masterful performance by the entire unit. Their efforts pushed the Angels to a perfect 5-0 in extra-inning games this season.
While the pitching kept the Angels in it, they still needed someone to break the 0-0 deadlock. Enter Nolan Schanuel. In the 11th, he ripped an opposite-field double off Jonathan Loáisiga, finally breaking the stalemate and snapping the team's three-game losing streak. The hit was not only clutch but historic, securing the Angels' first 1-0 win in the Bronx since August 1, 2008. The offense was complemented by stellar defense, highlighted by Luis Rengifo's incredible tag-and-tumble forceout at third base in the ninth, a play that saved a potential game-winning run and encapsulated the team's scrappy, never-say-die attitude.
This wasn't just a win; it was a statement. By out-dueling the Yankees in their own ballpark in a marathon game, the Angels showed a level of resilience and clutch performance that has been missing. Snapping the losing streak is huge, but doing it with a perfect extra-inning record intact and a new rookie hero feels like a potential turning point. Now, the Halos look to carry this immense momentum into the rest of the series, proving that this gritty, hard-fought victory is the new standard.
