A game of firsts for Lowe, Natera Jr. lifts Angels over Athletics

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Sunday’s 4-1 victory for the Los Angeles Angels over their division rivals the Athletics wasn’t just a great to end the series and head into a three-game road trip with, it was also a game of personal milestones for two Angels that have battled their way to have an opportunity with the Major League club. 

It started with Angels outfielder Josh Lowe in the second inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases ahead of Lowe and he didn’t the opportunity ahead of him. After fouling a ball off his grown earlier in the at-bat, Lowe pulled an 89.4 MPH cutter that was well-in on his hands and ripped it down the right field line for his first career grand slam to put the Angels up 4-0 early. 

“It’s awesome,” Lowe said. “I think the main thing is just [that] I was able to help the team win today. [I’m] not out there for personal accomplishments, just trying to help the team win and that’s what I was able to do.”

Josh Lowe crushes his first career grand slam! pic.twitter.com/jULOYlNeBt

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2026

Lowe has had somewhat of a rollercoaster so far in 2026. He was one of the Angels’ major free agent signings in the offense and after starting the season as the Angels go-to left fielder, Lowe struggled as was eventually sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake on May 22 after posting just a .546 OPS through the start of the season. 

He was recalled on June 24 and has had a much stronger showing since, putting an OPS of 1.023 with four RBIs in the four games he’s played since being called up. 

Aldegheri Takes Over

Lowe’s second inning slam would be the only source of runs in the game for Los Angeles, but they were also the only runs the Angels needed to take the game with Sam Aldegheri on the mound. 

Sam Aldegheri did his job today 🫡 pic.twitter.com/gCSFD51FgA

— SleeperAngels (@SleeperAngels) June 28, 2026

Aldegheri was looking to bounce back from two less-than-stellar starts in his previous outings where he allowed 11 combined earned runs in 7.2 combined innings. Sunday’s game was a much different story with Aldeghjeri tossing five innings while allowing just one run on five hits while striking out four.

“Today is good. I just need to keep working. I’m not satisfied now,” Aldegheri said. “I know it’s a long way to get where I want and I think I’m on the right path.”

Jose Fermin and Ryan Zeferjahn combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief after Aldegheri, though Zeferjahn ran into some trouble in the bottom of the eighth after two walks. 

Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune

Josh Lowe of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his grand slam during the game against the Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 28, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

With two outs and two men on, the Athletics pinch-hit star Nick Kurtz for for Colby Thomas in an attempt to at least tie the game with one swing. 

Samy Steps Up

In response, Angels manager Suzuki brought in 26-year-old Samy Natera Jr., who made his major league debut earlier in join, to get the final out against the fifth-best hitter in baseball by OPS.

Natera Jr. did just that, forcing a fly out from Kurtz to end the inning scoreless and Suzuki trusted him to go back out for the ninth inning for a four-out save, his first save of any kind in his MLB career, which he capped off by striking out Alika Williams to end the game.

FINAL: Angels 4 – Athletics 1

The Angels got all the offense they needed from Josh Lowe’s first-career grand slam in the second inning. The Angels have won six of their last eight games.

Lowe: 1-2, 4 RBI

Aldegheri: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Fermin: 2 IP, 0 H, 1 K

— Jack Haslett (@JackHaslett_13) June 28, 2026

“[I’ve] never been in that spot before, so, new for me, but learned from it and just got comfortable later on,” Natera Jr. said about fighting the nerves in the ninth to get the save. 

The Angels have now won six of their last eight games and have gone 19-15 since being swept by the Athletics at home in mid-May and Suzuki has liked what he’s seen from his team as far as connectivity goes. 

“I think the biggest thing is the guys are coming here every day prepared. They’re enjoying themselves, obviously, which is what you want, and they’re pulling for each other,” Suzuki said. “They’re playing together, they’re doing the things to help the team win and it’s not going to be perfect all the time, but it’s about guys picking each other up, when you’re a winning team, that’s what happens.”