Although the Los Angeles Angels have had a difficult start to 2025, they have produced two memorable victories at Angel Stadium in recent evenings, highlighted by Jorge Soler’s walk-off heroics on Wednesday that cemented the team’s place in history.
The Angels rallied once more, this time against one of the most dependable closers in the American League, after falling behind 4-2 going into the ninth inning. Jeff Hoffman, a right-hander with the Blue Jays, came into the game with a stellar 1.10 ERA and a perfect 6-for-6 record in saves. However, the Angels solved the code for the second consecutive night.
Kyren Paris began the rally with a leadoff walk, followed by back-to-back singles from Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel to load the bases with no outs. After Taylor Ward struck out, Jorge Soler walked to the plate with a chance to be the hero — and he delivered in dramatic way. Soler cleared the bases for a 5-4 triumph on a 1-1 slider after launching a rocket down the left-field line that rolled into the corner.
Angels get a much-needed win on Wednesday
Since a walk-off homer with the Marlins in 2023, Soler has not had a walk-off hit until this one. The Angels’ second walk-off victory of the season was even more stunning, and both were astonishingly achieved by three-RBI doubles. The team has never recorded a walk-off double that resulted in three runs prior to this season. In just a few weeks, they have already done it again.
“Just staying aggressive,” Soler said postgame. “We’ve been battling, and to come through like that in front of our fans — it means a lot.”
The win also concluded a two-game string of late-inning wizardry. The Halos’ six-run eighth inning on Tuesday overcame a three-run deficit. They staged the rally in the tenth on Wednesday, going one step further. This type of perseverance has been lacking amid the club’s recent setback.
The game started as a pitchers’ duel before the late-game fireworks. José Berríos of Toronto gave up solo home runs to Paris and Yoan Moncada but prevented more damage with nine strikeouts in six innings. Yusei Kikuchi matched him with six innings of one-run ball for the Angels.
Toronto seemed to blow the game open in the seventh, scoring three times behind hits from Ernie Clement, Myles Straw, and Bo Bichette to go up 4-1. Paris’ second career home run halved the score in the bottom half, paving the way for Soler’s easy victory.
When the Angels needed it most, they also flashed leather. Moncada turned an inning-ending double play after making a diving stop at third base in the eighth, which helped limit the deficit.
The Angels may finally be getting their footing after winning three of their past four games. More significantly, they are rewriting the story in a way that is both dramatic and historic.
