Drenched in frigid electric-blue energy drink, Christian Moore still couldn’t believe where he was — and what he had just done.
Exactly a year ago Tuesday, the 22-year-old from Brooklyn was atop the biggest stage of college baseball, winning the Men’s College World Series in Omaha as the Teneeseee Volunteers’ star slugger. Now the Angels’ top prospect — their top selection in the 2024 MLB Draft — forged a moment to remember.
Mike Trout wasn’t the hero. It wasn’t Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe or any of the power bats in the Angels’ lineup. Moore provided the game-changing — and game-winning — swings that powered the Angels to a 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Red Sox on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
Down 1-0 in the eighth inning, Moore walloped a home run over the left field wall, flinging his bat into the air like a big-league regular who had done it dozens of times before — not just for his second career home run.
He didn’t know he hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the 10th inning. Moore didn’t know that the ball cleared the yellow line on the right-field wall as he hustled into third base as if he just had a tying triple. The excited rookie second baseman wagged his tongue back and forth at the Angels dugout in celebration.
When Moore — who laughed about how cold the cooler full of liquid and ice was postgame — looked up at third-base umpire Chris Segal, the youngest-tenured Angel didn’t know what to think when he saw Segal’s finger circle the air, signaling a home run.
“I didn’t believe it — I was kind of scared to get off the base,” Moore said. “But the umpire, he made it pretty serious that it was a home run, so I was like, ‘I’m gonna take your word for it and go celebrate with my boys.’ ”
Moore’s boys, easily his senior, couldn’t be more proud of their rookie second baseman, stunning their American League East foes with his second and third career home runs, shooting the Angels into potential postseason contention, just a game under .500 — at 39-40 — and 2 ½ games out of an AL wild-card spot.
“It’s huge, man,” said starting pitcher Tyler Anderson. “To see guys like that coming up and contributing in big ways on offense and defense, is huge and super valuable.”
Shortstop Neto added: “Special player. Watching that was pretty cool. He’s going to be here for a long time.”
Before Moore’s monumental at-bats in the eighth and 10th innings — making him the first Angels player to have each of his first three home runs be of the tying or go-ahead variety in the seventh inning or later — the Angels ran into a buzzsaw. He also became the first player in MLB history to hit a tying home run and a walk-off home run with his team trailing while also driving in all of his team’s runs.
Boston southpaw Garrett Crochet scorched through them Tuesday night, striking out 10 across seven scoreless innings. The 6-foot-6 Red Sox ace fired high-90s heat with success a day after Walker Buehler struggled to keep the Angels off the basepaths.
The Angel Stadium crowd attempted to will a rally into existence in the seventh inning, cheering loudly as the heart of the Angels’ lineup hit after Trout worked a leadoff walk. Crochet dispatched the Angels back to the dugout, inducing pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud to pop out and hold a 1-0 lead.
It would take one more Angels better before Moore stepped up to the plate in the eighth. Moore, who struck out twice against Crochet earlier in the game, tied the score with his solo homer off of relief pitcher Greg Weissert, not only changing the energy in the stadium — but the final result in the process.
“I think that’s just believing in us, understanding that we can score a run or two at any moment, and just believing in our guys,” Moore said. “The game’s not over ever.”
Angels acting manager Ray Montgomery said Moore brings a “youthful exuberance” to the clubhouse. Whether it was an over-the-shoulder catch Monday or his home run heroics Tuesday, the rookie is finding his way into big plays, big moments and playing time.
“[Hitting coach Johnny Washington] said ‘He’s either part of the solution or part of the problem,’ ” Montgomery said, “and I think he’s a big part of the solution…. He’s going to be a big key for us — tonight, tomorrow, and every day after it.”
The Angels’ bullpen, which has emerged as one of the best in baseball during June to the tune of a 2.91 earned-run average entering Tuesday’s game, shut down the Red Sox (40-41) after Montgomery pulled Anderson from the game after 4 ⅔ innings and 82 pitches.
Reid Detmers gave up the only run (unearned) out of the bullpen, the 10th inning single from Marcelo Mayer to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
Anderson — flummoxed as he watched Montgomery come to the mound as he called on right-hander Connor Brogdon from the bullpen — has only finished the fifth inning twice in his last five starts. Despite the short start Tuesday, the outing was arguably his best in that span, striking out five and walking two, while giving up one run and two hits.
“Obviously, as a starter, you want to go deeper into games,” Anderson said. “But, man, our bullpen is just unbelievable. Kudos to those guys for coming and shutting it down and keeping it there.”
Angels closer Kenley Jansen, who left Monday’s game with shoulder cramps after throwing a few pitches below 90 mph, returned Tuesday and tossed a scoreless ninth. Neto, on the other hand, caused an injury scare when he left Tuesday’s game in the ninth after short-arming a throw, airmailing first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr.
After a short talk with Montgomery and the team trainer, he walked to the dugout. Montgomery said postgame that Neto’s removal was precautionary and due to an eighth-inning slide on a stolen base attempt where the shortstop jammed his right shoulder.
Neto said he probably should have pulled himself from the game and will undergo an MRI and further testing Wednesday morning.
“There’s a time and place to be a hero,” Neto said, referring to his aggravated shoulder.
But for the Angels on Tuesday night, it was Moore’s opportunity to be the hero. A day he and Angel fans will remember — when he found the right place at the right time, twice.
