Zach Neto hits first career grand slam, knocks in 6 as Angels beat Yankees 8-2 to split doubleheader

NEW YORK (AP) Zach Neto hit his first career grand slam in a six-run second inning off rookie Will Warren and drove in a career-high six runs as the Los Angeles Angels beat the New York Yankees 8-2 for a doubleheader split on Wednesday night.

In the first game, New York rookie Luis Gil battled command issues but pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball in a 5-2 victory. Neto hit a two-run homer in the seventh of the opener before the best game of his career in the nightcap.

Warren was one strike away from escaping the second with just a 2-0 deficit, but Neto turned on a full-count sinker and lifted it to the back of the Angels’ bullpen in left field to make it 6-0.

Neto’s 412-foot drive gave him five homers in his last nine games and was Los Angeles’ fifth grand slam this season.

Neto surpassed his career high of four RBIs set in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets when the shortstop hit a two-run double in the fourth to give him six RBIs and his team an 8-1 lead.

“I think it was pretty cool to be here and I definitely had a couple of angels out there looking over me,” said Neto, whose second career series in the majors was at Yankee Stadium April 18-20, 2023.

“I was able to have a pretty good day today.”

Neto, a 2022 first-round pick, became the first opposing shortstop with six RBIs at any version of Yankee Stadium. He also joined Alex Rodriguez (2003) as the second opposing shortstop with six RBIs against the Yankees.

“Well he must be a big-time player to do it in Yankee Stadium," Angels manager Ron Washington said. "All the players that may have done it here. Tonight, we needed everything he gave. We won that game 8-2 but at no time were we comfortable.”

“I think that’s memorable," Neto said. “Being able to do that I think it’s an honor.”

Neto joined Jim Fregosi (1964) and Freddie Patek (1980) as the third Angels shortstop with at least six RBIs. His eight RBIs tied the team record for a doubleheader, also held by Lee Thomas (1961), Bubba Morton (1967) and Ron Jackson (1976).

“He had a really great game tonight, all the way around,” Washington said.

Mickey Moniak hit an RBI single and Nolan Schanuel drew a bases-loaded walk before Neto’s grand slam.

DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI single and Gleyber Torres lifted a sacrifice fly for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in 10 games. New York saw a streak of 10 straight games with at least four runs snapped, its longest since September 2019.

Aaron Judge singled in the first inning of the nightcap after reaching four times in the opener. He had an RBI single and drew his 12th intentional walk of the season in the eighth inning of the first game.

Angels starter Carson Fulmer allowed two runs and seven hits but threw 90 pitches in four innings. Hunter Strickland (3-1) pitched two innings and needed one pitch to retire Juan Soto with two on to end the sixth.

Warren was called up to be New York’s 27th man and allowed eight runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in his second career start. He made his big-league debut last week in Philadelphia when Gerrit Cole was a late scratch due to fatigue.

“Just falling behind in the count and a couple of unlucky hits to start it and made a mistake to Neto, paid for it,” Warren said.

WEB GEM

In the fourth inning of the opener, Neto made an over the shoulder catch to rob Oswaldo Cabrera of a hit. Cabrera hit a soft popup that carried into center field and Neto completed the off-balance play while falling to the ground.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: INF Luis Rengifo (right wrist inflammation) underwent season-ending wrist surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be ready for spring training. 3B Anthony Rendon did not start the second game after reaching three times in the opener following a brief injured list stint due to back tightness.

UP NEXT:

Los Angeles LHP Tyler Anderson (8-10, 3.05 ERA) opposes New York LHP Nestor Cortes (5-9, 4.16) on Thursday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb