All Sacramento A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler can do is look over the fence on a Los Angeles Angels Jo Adell bottom of the first inning home run at the Big A in Anaheim on Sun Sep 7, 2025 (AP News photo)
Soderstrom’s Blast Not Enough as Athletics Fall Short in Anaheim 4-3
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics showed grit but could not quite steal one from the Angels on Sunday afternoon, falling 4–3 in a tight edged game down in Anaheim. It was a game where both teams traded blows, but a clutch double in the eighth inning by Travis d’Arnaud was the moment it got away from the green and gold.
The first inning set the tone as the Angels grabbed momentum early. After Mike Trout struck out to open the inning, Yoán Moncada was plunked by a pitch. Taylor Ward flied out harmlessly, but Jo Adell punished a center-cut pitch, blasting a two-run homer to center for his 35th of the season. The early deficit forced the A’s to play catch-up.
Sacramento cracked the scoreboard in the third thanks to Willie MacIver, who lined a solo homer to straightaway center, his third of the year, trimming the gap to 2 to 1. But the Angels answered quickly in the fourth. Chris Taylor was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored when Bryce Teodosio ripped a ground-rule double down the right-field line, restoring Los Angeles’ two-run cushion at 3 to 1.
Sacramento struggled to solve starter Mitch Farris until the seventh, when Tyler Soderstrom turned on a pitch and launched his 24th home run of the season, cutting the deficit to one. Sacramento threatened again later in the inning, putting two men aboard, but a rally-killing double play snuffed out the chance.
The A’s still refused to fold, however. In the top of the eighth, Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker reached safely, setting the stage for Colby Thomas. His deep fly to center plated Kurtz with the game-tying run on a sacrifice, tying things up at 3-3 with audible boos from the halo fans.
That tie did not last long. In the bottom half, reliever Osvaldo Bido got into trouble, walking Chris Taylor and hitting Oswald Peraza. With two aboard, Travis d’Arnaud, just inserted behind the plate, roped a ground-rule double to right-center, driving in Taylor for the go-ahead run. The Angels clung to their 4-3 edge.
Sacramento had one last chance in the ninth against veteran closer Kenley Jansen. Jacob Wilson grounded out, pinch-hitter JJ Bleday flied to left, and Lawrence Butler’s foul fly sealed the A’s fate.
Despite the loss, there were bright spots for Sacramento. Soderstrom continued to show his power stroke, MacIver added a rare long ball, and the bullpen held the Angels to just one run after the fourth inning. Still, the inability to capitalize with men on base haunted the A’s, as double plays and strikeouts ended several promising innings.
The Athletics now hop on a short hour and ten minute flight back to Sacramento having taken two of the three games on their Southern California road trip. Monday night as they say, is another ballgame, and that will be with hosting the Boston Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Starting pitcher for Monday night for Boston RHP Garrett Crochet (14-5 ERA 2.67) for Sacramento RHP Luis Morales (3-0 ERA 1.59) first pitch 7:05pm PT.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
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