New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil, bottom left, is tagged out by Los Angeles Angels second baseman Michael Stefanic, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. The call was challenged but upon review it was upheld. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil, left, reacts after being tagged out by Los Angeles Angels second baseman Michael Stefanic, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. The call was challenged but upon review it was upheld. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jose Soriano throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Angels’ Taylor Ward, center, celebrates next to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, left, and Angels first base coach Bo Porter, right, after hitting a single during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor throws out Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Matt Thaiss at first during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, left, and starting pitcher David Peterson (23) react after Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Matt Thaiss grounded out at first during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez, right, celebrates with, from left, Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, and Jeff McNeil after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)a
New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez, left, reacts with first base coach Antoan Richardson (66) after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Angels’ Zach Neto celebrates after his go-ahead three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Angels’ Zach Neto (9) celebrates with Nolan Schanuel (18). who also scored, after his go-ahead three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New York Mets relief pitcher Huascar Brazoban walks off the field after being replaced during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil, bottom left, is tagged out by Los Angeles Angels second baseman Michael Stefanic, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. The call was challenged but upon review it was upheld. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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ANAHEIM — Zach Neto enjoyed the biggest hit of his young major league career so much that it hurt.
“It felt pretty good,” Neto said with a smile. “I was struggling to breathe there a little bit. I about pulled my oblique running the bases.”
Neto had hit a go-ahead three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning, providing one of the two most electric moments from the Angels’ 5-4 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
The second moment was at the end, when right-hander Ben Joyce completed his first major league save by striking out All-Star J.D. Martinez on a 104.7-mph fastball, the hardest pitch thrown in the majors this season.
“It’s awesome, man,” Joyce said. “It started with Neto’s homer. You could feel the energy out there. I felt pretty calm, but it was a different level of adrenaline for sure.”
The final out punctuated what was perhaps one of the most encouraging nights this season for Angels fans. Although the team has been out of contention all year, the confluences of performances by youngsters Neto and Joyce – all after José Soriano began the game with six scoreless innings – has to give fans hope.
“They are the guys that are going to be mainstays in our drive forward,” Manager Ron Washington said.
“It was a tremendous ballgame,” Washington added. “We showed some courage, played good baseball.”
The Angels (48-63) snapped a three-game losing streak with the performance, which was a rollercoaster during the late innings.
Soriano did not allow a run in his six innings, dropping his ERA to 3.47 in 20 games, including 18 starts. He got the benefit of some brilliant defense from center fielder Kevin Pillar, who opened the game with a sensational diving catch. After that, Soriano escaped some jams, stranding two runners in the first and sixth innings.
The bullpen – now depleted by the recent trades of Carlos Estévez and Luis Garcia – needed to maneuver nine outs to hold on to the 2-0 lead. They didn’t even hold it for two, with Hunter Strickland allowed a grand slam to Martinez in the top of the seventh.
The Angels bounced right back in the bottom of the inning though.
With two outs and the bases empty, No. 9 hitter Michael Stefanic punched a single up the middle. Schanuel then walked. Neto fouled off a couple of 3-and-2 pitches from Huascar Brazoban before ripping a cutter over the left-field fence. It was his 14th homer of the season.
Neto was in position to be the hero because he had talked Washington into moving him from the bottom of the lineup to the No. 2 spot.
“I say ‘Hey, man, I think I’ve earned batting up there,’” Neto said. “‘Not that I don’t care batting in the bottom of the lineup. You write the lineup. But I think I’ve earned it to go up there and be productive and have a couple extra at-bats.’ I was able to come through today.”
After Neto’s homer, the Angels still needed six outs. Matt Moore got two of them, but he departed with a runner at third, as Washington summoned Joyce.
Joyce got Tyrone Taylor on a grounder to end the eighth.
In the ninth, he had to deal with the top of the Mets’ order. He got Francisco Lindor on a fly ball to left. Neto then made a bare-hand grab and throw off a bouncer to retire Brandon Nimmo.
“The play he made there in the ninth inning was clutch also,” Washington said. “He was clutch all night.”
With two outs, the crowd was so loud that Joyce couldn’t hear the PitchCom in his cap. Catcher Logan O’Hoppe came to the mound to give him the plan for Martinez.
Apparently the plan was nothing but gas.
Joyce threw Martinez three fastballs. The first (103.7 mph) was a called strike. Martinez then fouled off a 103.2mph pitch. Finally, Joyce cranked it up to 104.7, and Martinez swung through it.
“It was hard,” Martinez told reporters in the Mets’ clubhouse. “I’ve never seen a fastball like that. That’s the hardest fastball I’ve ever faced. I laughed after he struck me out I was kind of smiling. I had to look up at the radar. That was different. Kudos to him. He throws hard. He comes at you.”
Told that it was the hardest pitch in the majors this season, Martinez said: “I’m going to be all over Instagram, striking out.”
Zach CLUTCH Neto 😤@Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/gA2YUHiVtE
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 4, 2024
104.7⁉️ 🔥@Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/KMSuJjfL9k
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 4, 2024
Zach Neto is not human‼️😤@Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/yxZrZKJTnT
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 4, 2024
SUPERMAN 🦸♂️ @Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/p3xB0VqCmv
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 4, 2024
Big Poppa… absolutely INSANE 🤩 @CarrlynBathe@Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/I2dWJX2KlG
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) August 4, 2024
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