Tue May 20 04:40:00 UTC 2025: **Angels Shock Dodgers with Improbable Sweep, Sparking Hope for Turnaround**

**LOS ANGELES** – In a stunning turn of events, the Los Angeles Angels completed a three-game sweep of the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, potentially marking a turning point in their struggling season. The Angels, currently at the bottom of the AL West, secured a 6-4 victory after Travis d’Arnaud’s tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning.

“It’s tremendous,” said d’Arnaud, highlighting the playoff-like atmosphere of the series. “Everybody was passing the baton, having good at-bats up and down the lineup.”

The Angels’ bats were hot throughout the series, especially in the first two games, where they hit .307 against Dodgers pitching. Sunday’s game saw Zach Neto and Taylor Ward contribute early home runs, giving the Angels a 3-0 lead. Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi delivered a strong performance before an ankle injury forced his early exit.

Despite a bullpen hiccup in the seventh inning when Will Smith tied the game with a three-run homer, reliever Shaun Anderson stepped up in a big way. Anderson, stepping into a critical role with key relievers unavailable, pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, sealing the victory by striking out Shohei Ohtani for the final out.

“He really saved us,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of Anderson’s performance. “He went out there and did a good job and ended up getting Ohtani for the last out of the game.”

While the Angels remain six games behind the division-leading Seattle Mariners, this sweep against their crosstown rivals provides a much-needed boost in confidence. “To come in here and sweep them, it kind of shows what the Angels have,” Anderson said. “These guys want to win, and you can totally see it when you walk into the clubhouse.”

This is the Angels’ first three-game sweep of the Dodgers since 2010 and the first time the Dodgers have been swept in a series since July. The Angels are hoping this series win can propel them to a better season.

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