Jo Adell homers in season debut as Angels sweep Cubs

 

[June 09, 2023]  Jo Adell homered in his first game of the season and Reid Detmers pitched 5 2/3 strong innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif., completing a three-game sweep.

It was Adell's first home run of the season and Detmers' first victory of the season. The last homer for Adell and the last victory for Detmers both came last Sept. 30 against Texas.

Until Wednesday, Adell was at Triple-A Salt Lake, where he hit 18 home runs for the Bees. He replaced Hunter Renfroe (paternity leave) on the Angels' roster.

After taking a strike on the first pitch he saw from Cubs starter Drew Smyly (5-4) in the second inning, Adell unloaded on the next pitch, hitting it 451 feet into the left-field seats. With an exit velocity of 117.2 mph, it was the sixth-hardest-hit ball in the majors this season.

Detmers (1-5) won his final start last year but was winless in 10 starts this season. He left the game with two on and two outs in the sixth inning, the Angels clinging to a 2-1 lead.

Reliever Chris Devenski entered and retired Miguel Amaya on a grounder to third to end the inning and keep Detmers in line for the victory. Devenski retired the side in order in the seventh, and Jose Soriano followed suit in the eighth, handing the ball to Carlos Estevez for the ninth. Estevez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances.

Detmers gave up one run on five hits and two walks, striking out eight.

The Cubs took the lead against Detmers in the second inning. With two outs, Amaya singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Trey Mancini.

The Angels responded in the bottom of the inning against Smyly, when Adell led off with his home run to tie the game at 1-1. Los Angeles added a second run in the inning when Luis Rengifo singled, went to third on a single by Chad Wallach and scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Ward.

Jun 8, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly (11) throws to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The score remained 2-1 until the sixth inning when the Angels added an unearned run.

With two outs, Zach Neto singled and Ward walked. With Shohei Ohtani at the plate, the baserunners attempted a double steal, and catcher Yan Gomes opted to try to get Ward at second. However, his throw was in the dirt, and shortstop Dansby Swanson was unable to scoop it. The ball bounced away for an error on Gomes, allowing Neto to score from third, giving the Angels a 3-1 lead.

Smyly gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked three.

--Field Level Media

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