The Los Angeles Angels are officially baseball’s hottest team. With Friday’s 7–4 victory over the Miami Marlins, the Halos not only extended their winning streak to eight games but also continued rewriting the franchise record books in the process.
Taylor Ward, the team’s steadiest offensive force all season, launched a solo shot in the second inning off 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara — his 15th home run of the year and seventh during the Angels’ 9–2 road trip. The blast also tied Darin Erstad’s 1998 franchise record with Ward’s ninth straight game logging an extra-base hit.
Los Angeles Angels Stay Red-Hot, Make Franchise History in Eighth Straight Win
“It’s sick,” catcher Logan O’Hoppe said of Ward’s tear. “Just seeing how clear his head is — and the way he breaks down at-bats — has helped me a lot more than he probably realizes.”
Jorge Soler added an insurance solo homer in the eighth, giving the Angels two home runs on the night and marking their seventh consecutive multi-homer game — a new club record. They’ve now gone deep in 13 straight contests and hit 19 homers during the win streak, tops in MLB.
But this isn’t just a power surge. Since May 17, the Angels have slashed .293/.354/.515, with an elite 16.2% barrel rate and a 91.3 mph average exit velocity. They’re not only hitting bombs — they’re spraying hard contact all over the field.
Yusei Kikuchi earned his first win as an Angel with 5 2/3 shutout innings, while closer Kenley Jansen locked down his 11th save in as many tries.
At 25–25, the Angels are back to .500 for the first time since April 23.
“We got back to zero,” manager Ron Washington said. “But we’re not a .500 team. We know we’re better than that — and now it’s time to keep moving forward.”