In a battle between two teams desperate to find their footing in the 2026 season, the New York Mets staged a late-inning comeback to secure a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. The win at Angel Stadium provided a much-needed reprieve for a struggling Mets squad, while simultaneously extending the Los Angeles Angels’ current losing streak to seven games.
The matchup featured two clubs sitting at the bottom of their respective divisions. The New York Mets entered the series with an 11-21 record, looking to erase the memory of a difficult April. Meanwhile, the Angels, now 12-21, continued a downward trend that has seen them fall into fifth place in the AL West. Despite a strong start to the game, the Angels were unable to hold off a resilient Mets lineup that finally found its spark in the middle innings.
A Tale of Two Halves: The Mets' Comeback
The game appeared to be leaning in favor of the home team early on, but the New York Mets flipped the script starting in the sixth inning. Trailing by two, New York initiated a three-run rally that shifted the momentum entirely. The charge was led by veteran Marcus Semien, who delivered a clutch, tying two-run single. The inning continued to unravel for the Angels when Francisco Alvarez drove in another run with an RBI single, giving the Mets their first taste of the lead.
The decisive blow came in the seventh inning when Ronny Mauricio launched a go-ahead home run. Mauricio’s blast provided the eventual winning margin and punctuated a night where the Mets' offense showed flashes of the potential the front office expected heading into the season. Entering the game, the Mets held a 6-1 record when scoring five or more runs; while they didn't quite hit that mark Friday, the four runs proved sufficient thanks to a historic performance from their pitching staff.
Dominance on the Mound: 21 Straight Retired
While the offense provided the lead, the story of the night was the absolute lockdown performance by the Mets' pitchers. After allowing early runs, the combination of starter Christian Scott and a trio of relievers accomplished a staggering feat: they retired the final 21 Angels hitters in order. This meant that from the third inning through the final out of the game, not a single Los Angeles batter reached base.
Scott, who was looking to rebound from a disastrous outing against the Minnesota Twins where he lasted only 1.1 innings, showed immense poise. He finished his night allowing three runs (two earned) on just three hits over five innings. More importantly, he struck out eight batters without issuing a single walk. The bullpen then took the baton and ran with it. Huascar Brazobán earned the win (2-0) with a perfect sixth, followed by hitless frames from Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver. Devin Williams closed the door in the ninth to earn his third save of the year.
The Los Angeles Angels' Bullpen Woes
For the Los Angeles Angels, the loss highlights a growing concern regarding their relief corps. Entering Friday, the Angels' bullpen had been reeling, posting a 10.55 ERA over their previous six games and allowing 25 earned runs in just over 21 innings. That trend continued to haunt them as they were unable to protect the early lead provided by starter Walbert Urena.
The Angels’ struggles are particularly frustrating given their offensive power. The team currently ranks second in the American League with 42 total home runs. Mike Trout continues to be a bright spot, entering the matchup with 10 home runs and five doubles on the season. Additionally, Vaughn Grissom has been productive of late, hitting .357 over his last 10 games. However, home runs alone have not been enough to overcome a pitching staff that has struggled to close out games during this seven-game slide.
Looking Ahead
The win marks only the fourth victory for the Mets in their last 21 games, a stretch that has put immense pressure on the organization. A few hours before first pitch, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns gave manager Carlos Mendoza a public vote of confidence, and the team responded immediately on the field. For the Mets, this victory snaps a six-game road skid and provides a platform to build on as they continue their nine-game road trip.
The Angels will look to snap their losing streak in the second game of the series. To do so, they will need to find a way to break through a Mets pitching staff that, for one night in Anaheim, looked completely untouchable.
Sources & Original Reporting
