ANAHEIM, Calif. — More than just another tally in the win column, tonight's win means more to the Angels because of the main contributors' struggles as of late.
The Angels had been on a seven-game losing streak, with an offense that had been as cold as could be, and a veteran starter struggling on the mound. But tonight, it changed.
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks was sporting a 6.65 ERA in five starts heading into tonight's contest against the Detroit Tigers. With the Tigers scoring 10 and nine runs in the first two games of the series, albeit mostly due to the bullpen, the odds weren't in the former ERA-title winner's favor.
Hendricks left his last start, saying he thinks he was tipping his pitches, and would look into the issue. Whatever he found worked tonight as he threw 7.2 masterful innings, only giving up one earned run on four hits, no walks and three strikeouts. The only run given up was on a solo home run to Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson in the eighth inning.
"At the end of the day, I felt much better about the ball coming out and deception stuff," Hendricks said. "A couple of things we changed mechanically, but (Travis d'Arnaud) was just so good tonight."
Hendricks credited d'Ardnaud for forcing him to throw his curveball more often tonight. Hendricks said that by using his curveball more often it makes his other two pitches better.
This is the first time since June 10, 2023 that Kyle Hendricks threw at least 7.2 IP and allowed one or fewer earned runs.
— Jack Janes (@JackJanes_) May 4, 2025
Another reason why this win means more to Hendricks is that the Newport Beach native grew up an Angels fan and picked up his first win in an Angels uniform.
“Super special," Hendricks said. "Just for the family and everything. Growing up here, coming to these ball games, it means a lot getting this one.”
After giving up the most earned runs in an outing in his illustrious 16-year career last night, closer Kenley Jansen got right back on the saddle tonight, and he didn't even wait for manager Ron Washington to motion to the bullpen before running to the mound.
"Anybody's going to suck," Jansen said. "It's a long season, and you just can't let that affect your mind. Go back out there and battle, trust yourself and believe in yourself."
He came into the game with one out and runners on second and third in the ninth inning with a 5-1 lead. Jansen got a ground out and a lineout to seal the deal to give the Angels a 5-2 win.
On the other side of the ball, the bats finally got a taste of success after being starved of results for the last three weeks. The Angels scored five runs on 10 hits, something they haven't done since April 10 against the Tampa Bay Rays at the launching pad that is George M. Steinbrenner Field.
All the offense came in one inning, though, but the Angels will take it. With bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning, third baseman Luis Rengifo came through with a two-RBI single. Two batters later, center fielder Kyren Paris got a two-RBI single of his own.
Coming into tonight's game, Rengifo was hitting .226 with a .554 OPS, and Paris had been just 3-for-44 in his last 15 games.
The Angels are now 13-19 and will wrap up the series tomorrow at 1:07 p.m. PST. Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz faces right-hander Reese Olson on the mound.