Five-run first and six scorching innings from Ureña lifts Angels over Cardinals

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Los Angeles Angels didn't waste any time getting started against St. Louis Cardinals starter Mathew Liberatore. The first six Halos that Liberatore faced in the first inning reached base on their way to scoring five runs, the Angels' most runs scored in a first inning since June 23, 2025 against the Boston Red Sox. 

Jorge Soler and Vaughn Grissom both had RBIs with a single and double respectively, the second-straight game that they both drove runs in, but the real star of the show was Jo Adell. 

After a two RBI game against the Cardinals the night before that included a walk-off hit by pitch, a game that Adell hoped would spark a hot streak for him and the team, he put an exclamation point on a busy first inning with his 15th home run of the season, a two-run shot into left field.

"I think watching the other guy's at-bats really helped me refine mine and wait for something I can do damage with," Adell said. "That's what we we're able to do. So, good stuff."

Straight Heat from Ureña

Walbert Ureña was on a tear before the All-Star break, allowing one run combined across his final two starts before the week off, and save for a seven run mishap against the Athletics on June 26, he's had an outstanding rookie season with a 2.88 ERA and 1.32 WHIP going into his start against the Cardinals. 

Tuesday's performance was no different. He dealt with some traffic in the first inning, but he escaped run-free and the time off during the break must have done him some good because 16 of his 28 pitches in the first inning clocked in at 100+ MPH. 

Ureña even added after the game that he couldn't help but check how fast he was throwing.

"I have the radar behind home plate, so I always see it," Ureña said. 

Ureña wasn't just blowing the Cardinals away, he was blowing his own teammate's minds. It would be hard not to considering that even his "off-speed" stuff can go from the low-90's up to 100 MPH themselves. 

"He was unbelievable. Mike [Trout] looked over at me in the first or second inning and was like, 'These are like 100 MPH changeups.' They were disgusting," Adell said. "You see some of the guys in their lineup that have played really well this season that were just baffled."

Bullpen Comes In

Ureña finished his night with a sharp six innings pitched with one earned run, six hits and one walk allowed while striking out six and left the game with a healthy 5-1 lead to his name.

The Angels didn't score another run after their explosive first inning, but then again they didn't need to.

Scoreless innings in relief from Mitch Farris, Chase Silseth and Ryan Zeferjahn shut the door on the Cardinals for the Angels' third-straight win, their first three-game win streak since they took four in a row from the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays from June 9-13.

"Coming out here today, especially setting the tone right off the bat in the first inning, then Walby [Ureña] obviously doing what he was doing and then the bullpen to come in and shut them down; it was a great team victory," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said.