Tommy La Stella came up big for the Angels in the bottom of the first after the team gave up a run early. Down 1-0, La Stella worked the count to 3-0. Instead of taking the free pass, he stayed aggressive and got the green light on 3-1. He crushed the next pitch deep to right field. The outfielder got a glove on it but couldn’t squeeze it. The ball ricocheted off the heel and took a wild bounce toward deep right-center.
La Stella never slowed down. He turned on the jets, motored around the bases, and slid in safely for an inside-the-park home run—his 16th of the season. It tied the game 1-1. He was clearly gassed but smiling as he slapped hands with teammates. The outfielder who almost made the catch looked frustrated, wishing he had made the play or at least handled it cleaner. La Stella’s hustle turned a tough break for the defense into a highlight play on the basepaths.