Neto’s ninth-inning blast caps Angels’ dramatic 9-7 comeback over A’s

The Los Angeles Angels erased a late deficit with a two-part late-inning barrage, rallying past the Oakland Athletics 9-7 on Sunday at Oakland Coliseum. Trailing 7-4 entering the eighth, Denzer Guzman crushed a three-run homer off reliever Mason Miller to knot the game at 7-7 and keep the Angels alive. The blast marked Guzman’s first career multi-run homer and his third long ball of the young season.

It also snapped a 1-for-12 slump for Guzman, who had gone hitless in his previous 12 at-bats before the clutch hit. In the ninth, Zach Neto stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases juiced. He drove a 2-2 pitch from Miller over the left-field wall for a two-run walk-off homer, completing the Angels’ stunning 9-7 comeback.

Neto now has six home runs on the year, all coming in the last 25 games. His six blasts account for 40% of the Angels’ home runs over that span, underscoring his rapid rise as a cornerstone hitter. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Angels and improved their record to 27-25 on the season.

Oakland dropped to 23-29 with its fifth loss in six games, further tightening the AL West race. The Angels’ surge comes amid a broader league trend where teams with young, power-hitting cores—like Baltimore and Seattle—are outpacing expectations. The sweep of the A’s, a division rival with a historically stingy pitching staff, adds a psychological edge as both clubs jockey for playoff positioning.

Manager Phil Nevin called the rally a testament to the club’s fight. “This is what we’re capable of when we stay in games,” Nevin said. ” The win also marked the Angels’ fifth walk-off victory of the season, tying their franchise high for a single year.

The late heroics from Guzman and Neto—both 23 years old—signal a shift toward youth-led production in Anaheim, offering a blueprint for sustained success as the season progresses. Their clutch performances reflect a broader organizational emphasis on developing young talent, a strategy that has yielded dividends in other contending clubs. The Angels’ front office has prioritized drafting and developing high-ceiling prospects, and Guzman and Neto represent the vanguard of that rebuild.

Their emergence coincides with a league-wide valuation of power bats from the minors, where teams are increasingly betting on upside over proven veterans. What's next: The Angels continue their three-game series against the Athletics with Monday’s afternoon game at Oakland Coliseum. The series finale could further swing the divisional standings, with both teams jockeying for positioning in the AL West.

The Angels also face a critical road trip to Houston and Seattle next week, where their offensive firepower will be tested against elite pitching staffs. A strong showing in those games could solidify Anaheim’s place in the playoff conversation. Read at ESPN