ANAHEIM — Red hot, even if he wasn’t ready to admit it, Logan O’Hoppe is putting a charge into the Angels’ offense that is starting to power its way through opponents.
O’Hoppe stretched his home-run streak to four consecutive games and helped the Angels to a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday with his offerings from both behind and alongside the plate.
As the catcher, O’Hoppe helped the pitching staff get past a playoff team from last season while finally getting a handle on the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez, who hit three home runs in the series opener but went 0-for-4 with three walks over the past two games.
It remains early, but the Angels have won each of the three series they have played in a feat that has not happened for the club since 2018 when it came out on top over the first five series.
With a 6-3 record, the Angels have also tied the franchise record for most wins over the opening nine games of a season. It is the 14th time the club has opened a season 6-3, with the last coming in 2021.
After their struggles from 2024, the Angels are exceeding expectations, but O’Hoppe suggests there is more in the tank, at least personally. After hitting a home run in his third consecutive game Saturday, the everyday catcher for the second consecutive season said his swing still was a work in progress.
“I’m just working on it every day,” O’Hoppe said. “I don’t feel like things are going well or bad. I feel very neutral, and I’m gonna enjoy it, get some sleep and get to work again tomorrow.”
That tomorrow was Sunday and his swing looks better than neutral now. Even the numbers say so. O’Hoppe became the first catcher in franchise history to hit a home run in four consecutive games.
On the mound, left-hander Tyler Anderson delivered a solid five innings, working out of a major jam in his final frame. In a 2-2 tie, Anderson loaded the bases on a walk, a hit batter and an intentional walk to Ramirez. He escaped the mess by striking out Carlos Santana on a 3-2 changeup.
The Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Lane Thomas. O’Hoppe tied the score on his home run in the second inning, his fifth of the season, and Tim Anderson made it 2-1 five batters later on an RBI single.
The Guardians tied it in the fourth inning on Kyle Manzardo’s home run just inside the right-field foul pole off Anderson.
The Angels took the lead for good on a solo home run from Jorge Soler in the sixth inning, his second in two nights. A pair of insurance runs came in the seventh when Luis Rengifo and Soler hit sacrifice flies.
Kyren Paris made it a 6-2 lead for the Angels with a home run to deep center in the eighth, his second. The Angels hit seven home runs over the past two games after hitting six over their first seven games.
After getting multiple innings from three relievers over the previous two games, a reset Angels bullpen was fresh and effective. Ryan Zeferjahn returned from hamstring tightness Friday to pitch a scoreless sixth inning, while Ben Joyce delivered 1⅓ innings.
Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation. His strikeout of Gabriel Arias was his 1,225th as a reliever, tying Lee Smith for fifth most all-time.