Travis d’Arnaud hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the visiting Los Angeles Angels finished off a three-game sweep with a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Zach Neto and Taylor Ward each hit home runs in the first inning and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi gave up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings before leaving in the sixth inning with a right ankle injury.
Right-hander Shaun Anderson (1-0) gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out Shohei Ohtani to end the game.
The Angels entered the series Friday in last place in the American League West, while the Dodgers were tied with the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the major leagues. It is the Angels’ first three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium since 2010.
Will Smith hit a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning for the Dodgers, while Ohtani had three hits, with two coming against countryman Kikuchi.
Los Angeles right-hander Tony Gonsolin (2-1) gave up four runs on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts in four innings while pitching with a cut on his right hand.
The Dodgers were swept in a three-game series at home for the first time since June 16-18, 2023, against the San Francisco Giants.
Neto hit Gonsolin’s third pitch into the seats in left field for his seventh home run of the season. After a delay while trainers met with Gonsolin to address blood on his hand, he continued only to give up a one-out walk to Yoan Moncada then Ward’s 12th home run for a 3-0 lead.
The Angels made it 4-0 in the third on an RBI single from d’Arnaud.
The Dodgers finally got on the scoreboard with an Ohtani RBI single in the fifth inning. They tied it 4-4 in the seventh inning when Smith delivered a three-run home run against Anderson, his fourth.
The go-ahead eighth-inning homer from d’Arnaud, his first, came against left-hander Anthony Banda (3-1). The Angels added an insurance run in the ninth on a Moncada double-play grounder.
