WEST SACRAMENTO — Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe and shortstop Zach Neto are both experiencing breakout seasons and are already establishing themselves as franchise cornerstones at two of the most important positions on the diamond.
They both came up huge yet again on Wednesday, as O’Hoppe crushed two homers totaling a combined 901 feet while Neto smacked a two-run blast in a 10-5 win over the Athletics at Sutter Health Park.
Manager Ron Washington said they’ve leaned on the duo heavily this year but was pleased with the way veterans Taylor Ward (3-for-5 with a double and a triple), Jorge Soler (3-for-5 with two RBIs) and Luis Rengifo (1-for-4) swung the bat. Ward has been on a heater with an extra-base hit in seven straight, while they’re trying to get Soler and Rengifo going.
“It’s important,” Washington said. “They’ve been doing it all year, and so whatever they’re doing right now, I’m not surprised, because they’ve been doing it all year. And it’s nice to have those other guys finally chipping in, and now it’s stretching out our lineup. Jorge is getting going. You see what Ward is doing. Rengifo is coming around. It’s going to stretch that lineup out, and that’s what we need.”
Jo Adell also homered to help the Angels to their sixth straight win, which is their longest win streak since winning six in a row from June 24-29, 2024. It also gave them their second straight series win, marking the first time they won two consecutive sets since April 4-6 against Cleveland and April 8-10 at Tampa Bay. They’ve also averaged six runs per game over their last 15 contests, going 10-5 over that stretch.
“That’s what we know we’re capable of doing,” O’Hoppe said. “I speak for a lot of guys in here when I say I’m not surprised to see the stuff we’re practicing and talking about. It’s nine vs. one and the guys on our bench can swing it, too. I’ve been saying since the beginning, if you don’t get it done, someone behind you can. It seems to be a theme with this team.”
O’Hoppe, who also homered and had a key go-ahead RBI single in Tuesday’s win, got the Angels on the board with a mammoth blast in the second. He demolished a first-pitch changeup from lefty JP Sears a Statcast-projected 470 feet to left field, giving him his longest homer of his four-year career. It was also the second-longest homer hit by any Major Leaguer this year, behind Mike Trout’s 484-foot shot on April 19.
“He’s a strong kid, and right now he’s seeing the ball well, and when they’re making mistakes, he’s not missing it,” Washington said. “And so far, when he’s not missing it, he’s been hitting it for extra bases.”
After right-hander Jack Kochanowicz surrendered the lead on a three-run homer to Lawrence Butler in the second, Neto put the Angels in front again with a two-run homer off Sears on a 3-2 sweeper. It was Neto’s eighth homer in 30 games this year, as he’s provided a major boost since returning in mid-April after shoulder surgery in November.
O’Hoppe extended the lead with another long homer in the fourth, as he connected on a 1-2 sweeper over the middle of the plate from Sears and drove it a projected 431 feet to left field. It was his 13th of the year, which is tied for seventh in the Majors with Ward and second among catchers behind Cal Raleigh’s 16 with Seattle.
“Those kids have been showing up every day getting it done,” Washington said. “So it’s nice that now we got everybody functioning.”
Adell followed with a solo shot of his own on a 1-1 fastball from Sears, giving the Angels back-to-back homers for the first time this season. It was also the first time in 85 career starts that Sears allowed four homers in a game.
“We’re in a good moment right now and have won the last six games,” Soler said through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “It’s been great and we have good momentum.”
Kochanowicz didn’t factor into the decision, allowing four runs (three earned) over four-plus innings, but was thrilled to see the offense come through yet again. They also tacked on two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to put the game away.
“It’s huge,” Kochanowicz said. “The boys picked me up today, for sure. They’re smashing the ball right now. I’ve never, never seen anything like it, honestly. But it’s awesome.”
