Los Angeles Angels at Athletics: Final Score & Recap

The Athletics defeated the Los Angeles Angels 9-7 on September 22, 2026, at Sutter Health Park, rallying from an early deficit to secure a win that saw the DiamondIQ model's estimate of an Oakland victory climb from 55 percent before first pitch to 100 percent by game's end. The Angels struck first and hard, with Denzer Guzman delivering a home run off Brady Basso in the third inning that added 15.6 percent win probability in Los Angeles's favor and gave the visitors a lead they appeared intent on protecting. Oakland answered with two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh, with Jeff McNeil's walk off Tayler Saucedo proving particularly consequential, shifting win probability 14.7 percent toward the home side. A Jonah Heim pop out in that same seventh inning briefly dampened the Athletics' momentum, costing 14.6 percent win probability, but Oakland's offense was far from finished.

The eighth inning settled the matter decisively. Carlos Cortes launched a home run off Sam Bachman that swung win probability 32.1 percent in Oakland's favor, the single largest play of the game by that measure, and Zack Gelof followed with another home run off Blake Weiman for an additional 18.6 percent swing. Those two swings represented the back-to-back blows that effectively closed the contest. Cortes finished as the game's most impactful offensive player with a combined WPA of plus-45.8 percent and a RE24 of plus-3.1, while McNeil and Gelof each contributed plus-1.7 RE24. On the mound, Yusei Kikuchi led all pitchers with a WPA of plus-15.3 percent, with Luis Medina and Luke Murphy adding further support out of the bullpen. The Angels collected 15 hits and scored seven times but could not overcome Oakland's four-run eighth, which proved the decisive frame in a game the Athletics ultimately controlled on their home field.