Angels blow 9th-inning lead, then rally for 2 in the 10th to edge Twins 5-4
Los Angeles Angels' Wade Meckler (53) celebrates his walk-off single with teammates in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mike Trout hit a tying RBI single in the 10th inning, and Wade Meckler followed with a winning RBI single to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
Minnesota rookie Walker Jenkins hit a two-out, two-run homer in top of the ninth for a 3-3 tie, and the Twins took a 4-3 lead in the 10th on Brooks Lee’s RBI single.
Kody Clemens’ sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, but Angels left-hander Blake Weiman (1-1) got Josh Bell to pop to second and, after intentionally walking pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers, struck out Royce Lewis to end the inning.
Automatic runner Jose Siri took third on pinch-hitter Vaughn Grissom’s fly to left to open the bottom of the 10th. Zach Neto walked, Trout singled off Yoendrys Gomez (2-4) for a 4-4 tie, and Meckler singled off left-hander Kody Funderburk for the win.
The Angels were one out away from a 3-1 victory after hard-throwing closer Ben Joyce struck out Emmanuel Rodriguez and Lewis to open the ninth, but Twins catcher Victor Caratini kept the inning alive with a single to center.
Jenkins, who entered Thursday with an .089 average and one homer in 16 big-league games, then drove a 101-mph fastball just beyond the glove of leaping center fielder Siri for a two-run shot that tied it at 3.
Minnesota’s late rally spoiled a superb start by Angels right-hander Walbert Ureña, who allowed four hits, struck out a career-high nine and walked none over seven shutout innings to lower his ERA to 2.74.
Minnesota Twins' Walker Jenkins, right, hits a two-run home run as Los Angeles Angels catcher Tyler Heineman, center, and home plate umpire Laz Diaz watch during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Twins starter Taj Bradley allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one, but the right-hander gave up four of those hits in a three-run first.
Up next
Twins LHP Connor Prielipp (5-7, 5.24 ERA) was set to face Angels RHP Grayson Rodriguez (4-7, 6.10) on Friday night.
More MLB news
