Wade Meckler's Storybook Night and the One Thing the Angels Still Can't Do

Woah. If you weren't watching baseball last night, you missed something wild down in Anaheim. The Los Angeles Angels offense finally went OFF, dropping nine runs and launching four dingers, their best output in almost a month! You’d think that means everything’s clicking for them, right? Not so fast. They're still trying to snag back-to-back wins for the first time since early May, and it’s not gonna be easy with the Texas Rangers coming back for more. As fans who live and breathe every pitch, every tackle, we know those struggles. Sometimes you need that momentum.

Eovaldi Is Dealing, and It’s a Problem

Alright, so the Angels had a huge night offensively, but Saturday brings a whole different beast to the mound for the Rangers: veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. This dude is absolutely lights out right now, rocking a 5-4 record with a nasty 3.62 ERA. Check this out: he’s only given up one run in his last 22 innings of work, winning his last three starts. That's just ridiculous. He’s already got a history of shutting down the Angels, going 7-3 with a 3.04 ERA in 16 career appearances, including 2-0 with an 0.69 ERA in two starts last season. Eovaldi, 36, shrugged off some left side tightness, bouncing back to throw seven shutout innings against Houston, fanning eight and getting 19 swings-and-misses, 13 of those on his splitter! The guy knows how to attack the zone, and the Angels' bats are going to have their work cut out for them.

From Anaheim Kid to Big League Blaster

But man, Friday night offered a story you love to see. Shortstop Zach Neto led things off with two homers, including one on Jacob deGrom's very first pitch! That’s his 12th career leadoff shot, tying him for second-most in team history. But the real headline grabber? Anaheim native Wade Meckler, making his first start for the Angels, absolutely crushed his first major league homer. A 403-foot, three-run missile into the right-field bleachers in the first inning. Talk about surreal! Meckler grew up hitting 50 or 60 games at Anaheim Stadium, idolizing Mike Trout, who was playing center field right next to him! He even made a highlight-reel backhanded catch sliding into the wall. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said, "Neto leading that inning off with a homer and then Meckler coming in with the three-run (homer) really set the tone for the game." It was pure magic.

So, the Angels are riding that high from Meckler’s incredible debut and a massive offensive night, but they’ve got rookie Walbert Urena (1-4, 2.70 ERA) on the bump against Eovaldi in their quest for those elusive consecutive wins. Urena’s been solid, with a 1.64 ERA over his last four starts. But what about us, the 12s, the Emerald City faithful? We watched our Mariners drop a tough one, 0-5, against the Kansas City Royals. It hurts, no doubt. Early season struggles are real, and we’re seeing them across the league. But that's what being a fan is about, right? You celebrate the highs, you grit through the lows, and you always look forward to the next game. Let's keep that energy up for our boys in green and blue. There's always tomorrow to get back on track.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.