Sports
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Jose Soriano’s historic start and Chris Sale’s rare struggles highlight a 6-2 Angels victory, with Atlanta’s key hitters searching for answers ahead of the next game.
The Atlanta Braves found themselves facing a formidable challenge on Monday night at Angel Stadium, as the Los Angeles Angels delivered a statement win, defeating the Braves 6-2 in a game that showcased the brilliance of Angels pitcher Jose Soriano and exposed some early-season vulnerabilities for Atlanta’s rotation and lineup. The April 7, 2026, matchup was expected to be a test for both teams, but the narrative quickly shifted as Soriano’s historic start and Chris Sale’s rare struggles became the focal points of the evening.
Coming into the contest, the Braves were riding the momentum of a strong 6-2 start to their season, boasting the best ERA in Major League Baseball despite a depleted rotation. Manager Walt Weiss had recently described Chris Sale, the veteran left-hander, as “sick as a dog” just five days prior, yet Sale took the mound determined to anchor a staff missing key arms, including Spencer Strider due to an oblique strain. Sale’s velocity was on full display early, touching 97.5 mph in the first inning, and he opened with a warrior mentality that Weiss had praised before the game.
Despite giving up a leadoff home run to Zach Neto on a 95.3 mph fastball, Sale responded with authority, striking out the side in the first frame. The Angels’ lineup, however, came prepared with a collective approach. Jo Adell, who struck out in the opening inning, later explained, “He’s a strikeout pitcher, and there’s a lot of swing and miss on all of his stuff. And so we were just trying to tunnel the zone and find pitches that we thought we could hit.”
Sale’s command, which had been a stabilizing force for Atlanta, began to waver dramatically in the fourth inning. After hitting Jorge Soler with a slider to start the frame, Sale allowed a single to Adell, then walked Jeimer Candelario and Logan O’Hoppe on a combined nine pitches, forcing in a run and giving the Angels a 2-1 lead. Sale’s frustration was palpable as he paced behind the mound, visibly searching for answers. Next, he hit Yoán Moncada with another slider, forcing in a second run, and then Bryce Teodosio grounded an RBI infield single. Incredibly, the Angels scored three runs in that 28-pitch inning without recording a single hard-hit ball or Sale recording an out.
Reflecting on his performance, Sale was candid and self-critical. “Just bad command,” Sale said after the game. “Kind of one of those rare nights where it’s going left, it’s going right, and just kind of standing out there not really knowing how to fix the problem I was having. I didn’t help myself at all.” Sale refused to cite his recent illness as an excuse, adding, “There’s no leeway. I expect to do well every time I step foot [on the mound]. I know those are unrealistic expectations, but I can’t find a single person in this room that would be okay with going out there and doing what I did tonight.”
Manager Walt Weiss, while acknowledging the disappointment, emphasized that such nights are rare for a pitcher of Sale’s caliber. “He’s like a lot of the great ones and he’s harder on himself than anybody,” Weiss remarked. “I’m sure he’s going to beat himself up a little bit because that’s just who he is. But I can’t wait to see him pitch again the next time out.” Sale finished his outing with six earned runs allowed on five hits over four-plus innings, recording seven strikeouts and two walks, with 51 of his 77 pitches going for strikes.
The short start by Sale put immediate pressure on an Atlanta bullpen that has already been stretched thin during a grueling 13-game stretch without an off-day. Relievers Joel Payamps, Aaron Bummer, and Osvaldo Bido combined for four innings of one-run relief, doing their best to keep the Braves within striking distance. Mauricio Dubón added a solo home run in the ninth inning, but it proved to be little more than a consolation as the Angels’ lead remained secure.
On the other side, it was Jose Soriano’s night to shine. The Angels’ starter was dominant from the outset, pitching eight innings of three-hit baseball and striking out 10 Braves batters. Soriano’s performance was not only pivotal in securing the win but also historic, as he became just the fourth pitcher in Angels franchise history to meet certain statistical thresholds in each of his first three starts of a season. His emergence as an elite talent in the league is quickly becoming one of the top stories of the young MLB season.
Even Braves manager Walt Weiss, known for his reluctance to praise opposing players, couldn’t help but acknowledge Soriano’s display. “It’s some of the best stuff you’ll see in this league. You hate giving credit to opposing pitchers, but sometimes you have to. That was big-time stuff right there,” Weiss admitted postgame.
The defeat dropped Atlanta’s record to 6-5, a sharp contrast to their early 6-2 surge. Key hitters such as Austin Riley and Ronald Acuna Jr. continued their early-season struggles, with Riley failing to record a hit in Monday’s contest. The Braves’ offense, which had been a strength during their hot start, sputtered against Soriano’s blend of velocity and command.
For the Angels, the victory not only showcased Soriano’s potential but also demonstrated the lineup’s ability to capitalize on opportunities, even when the hits weren’t coming hard or fast. The fourth inning rally, built on patience and timely execution, underscored the team’s depth and discipline at the plate. As Adell explained, the team’s approach was simple but effective: “We were just trying to tunnel the zone and find pitches that we thought we could hit.”
With the loss, the Braves now face the challenge of bouncing back in the second game of the series, scheduled for Tuesday evening. The pressure is on for Atlanta to rediscover their form, both on the mound and at the plate, as they look to avoid a prolonged slump. Meanwhile, the Angels will aim to build on their momentum, buoyed by Soriano’s breakout and a lineup that’s finding ways to win, even against some of the league’s toughest pitching.
As the dust settles on a night that featured both a pitching masterclass and a rare off-night for one of the game’s fiercest competitors, both teams are left with plenty to consider. For the Braves, the hope is that Sale’s struggles are indeed an outlier, while for the Angels, the sky may be the limit if Soriano continues to dazzle. The series continues, with all eyes on how each side responds to a night that won’t soon be forgotten in Anaheim.