Zach Neto hits first career grand slam, knocks in 6 as Angels beat Yankees 8-2 to split doubleheader

NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Neto hit his first career grand slam in a six-run second inning off rookie Will Warren and drove in a career-high six runs as the Los Angeles Angels beat the New York Yankees 8-2 for a doubleheader split on Wednesday night.

In the first game, New York rookie Luis Gil battled command issues but pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball in a 5-2 victory. Neto hit a two-run homer in the seventh of the opener before the best game of his career in the nightcap.

Warren was one strike away from escaping the second with just a 2-0 deficit, but Neto turned on a full-count sinker and lifted it to the back of the Angels’ bullpen in left field to make it 6-0.

Neto’s 412-foot drive gave him five homers in his last nine games and was Los Angeles’ fifth grand slam this season.

Neto surpassed his career high of four RBIs set in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets when the shortstop hit a two-run double in the fourth to give him six RBIs and his team an 8-1 lead.

“I think it was pretty cool to be here and I definitely had a couple of angels out there looking over me,” said Neto, whose second career series in the majors was at Yankee Stadium April 18-20, 2023.

“I was able to have a pretty good day today.”

Neto, a 2022 first-round pick, became the first opposing shortstop with six RBIs at any version of Yankee Stadium. He also joined Alex Rodriguez (2003) as the second opposing shortstop with six RBIs against the Yankees.

“Well he must be a big-time player to do it in Yankee Stadium," Angels manager Ron Washington said. "All the players that may have done it here. Tonight, we needed everything he gave. We won that game 8-2 but at no time were we comfortable.”

“I think that’s memorable," Neto said. “Being able to do that I think it’s an honor.”

Neto joined Jim Fregosi (1964) and Freddie Patek (1980) as the third Angels shortstop with at least six RBIs. His eight RBIs tied the team record for a doubleheader, also held by Lee Thomas (1961), Bubba Morton (1967) and Ron Jackson (1976).

“He had a really great game tonight, all the way around,” Washington said.

Mickey Moniak hit an RBI single and Nolan Schanuel drew a bases-loaded walk before Neto’s grand slam.

DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI single and Gleyber Torres lifted a sacrifice fly for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in 10 games. New York saw a streak of 10 straight games with at least four runs snapped, its longest since September 2019.

Aaron Judge singled in the first inning of the nightcap after reaching four times in the opener. He had an RBI single and drew his 12th intentional walk of the season in the eighth inning of the first game.

Angels starter Carson Fulmer allowed two runs and seven hits but threw 90 pitches in four innings. Hunter Strickland (3-1) pitched two innings and needed one pitch to retire Juan Soto with two on to end the sixth.

Warren was called up to be New York’s 27th man and allowed eight runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in his second career start. He made his big-league debut last week in Philadelphia when Gerrit Cole was a late scratch due to fatigue.

“Just falling behind in the count and a couple of unlucky hits to start it and made a mistake to Neto, paid for it,” Warren said.

WEB GEM

In the fourth inning of the opener, Neto made an over the shoulder catch to rob Oswaldo Cabrera of a hit. Cabrera hit a soft popup that carried into center field and Neto completed the off-balance play while falling to the ground.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: INF Luis Rengifo (right wrist inflammation) underwent season-ending wrist surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be ready for spring training. 3B Anthony Rendon did not start the second game after reaching three times in the opener following a brief injured list stint due to back tightness.

UP NEXT:

Los Angeles LHP Tyler Anderson (8-10, 3.05 ERA) opposes New York LHP Nestor Cortes (5-9, 4.16) on Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Angels' Charles Leblanc, left, and Michael Stefanic, center, celebrate after scoring on a double hit by Zach Neto as Logan O'Hoppe, right, prepares to bat during the fourth inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell, left, and Zach Neto, right, celebrate after Neto hit a grand slam leading to Adell, Mickey Moniak, and Nolan Schanuel to score during the second inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto, right, celebrates with third base coach Eric Young Sr., left, after Neto hit a two-run home run leading Nolan Schanuel to score during the seventh inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Yankees' Anthony Volpe runs back to the dugout after popping out to Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Los Angeles Angels' José Marte pitches during the fifth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Los Angeles Angels' Anthony Rendon stands on first base during the fourth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. covers his face with his glove as he smiles while talking to teammates during the fourth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

ATLANTA (AP) — Here’s how a Georgia legislative session is supposed to end:

After a last-minute rush of negotiations, lawmakers jam through final agreements on a few more bills as the clock ticks past midnight.

Legislative staffers crowd into chambers as leaders thank employees against a soundtrack of paper being ripped into pieces.

Finally, the presiding officer recognizes the climactic motion to adjourn “sine die,” a Latin phrase that means to leave without a day to return.

Then everyone tosses shredded paper into the air and cheers.

Friday, though, Georgia’s state Senate just left.

The motion to adjourn by Republican Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega came shortly after 9 p.m. with none of the usual buildup. There was no thanks to the staff. Senators hadn’t even torn up much paper.

Georgia lawmakers can pick up bills in 2026 where they left off Friday, the second year of a two-year session, but they left plenty on the table.

Among items that didn’t pass were proposals to force Georgia to leave a multistate election group, a push by Jones to establish more legislative control over rules enacted by state agencies, an effort to ban diversity programs in public schools and colleges and a bill to let people sue local governments for not cooperating with federal immigration officials.

The sudden departure came after it became increasingly clear some Senate measures were languishing in the House and that Senate leaders had lost their appetite to bargain. It was possible to leave early because lawmakers had already agreed on a budget and other highest-priority legislation including tax cuts, a school safety bill, new limits on lawsuits and banning transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports.

The collision was reminiscent of the 2023 legislative session, the first year Burns and Jones led their chambers. Many big issues didn’t pass after the chambers got into a standoff over the budget and licensing rules for hospitals. Then, it appeared Jones was trying to force his will on the House, a reversal of the traditional dynamic in Georgia, where the House has often had its way.

Ultimately, many issues derailed in 2023 ended up passing in 2024, including loosening hospital permitting requirements, imposing basic protections for renters and creating a voucher program to pay for private school and home-schooling.

As senators cheered their departure Friday, veteran state Rep. Alan Powell was at the microphone in the House proposing changes to a hotly debated bill to regulate automated speed detection cameras in school zones.

Suddenly, there was no reason for the Hartwell Republican to continue, as there were no senators left to agree to amendments.

Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington and his staff exchanged bewildered glances as House lawmakers murmured.

“It appears that the Senate has checked all their priorities, all their political priorities, and decided to end their night early instead of finishing their work on behalf of the people we represent,” Burns told the House. “Of course, they’re free to do as they please, but this chamber puts policy over politics."

Many longtime lawmakers were baffled. House Rules Committee Chairman Butch Parrish, a Swainsboro Republican who has served since the 1980s, said senators “broke new ground.”

Representatives approved a few more bills that didn't need further Senate action, and then also went home early.

Jones downplayed any conflict.

“What do you mean what happened?” Jones said afterward. “We ended session.”

Jones said senators had achieved their goals and he had been bucking for an early adjournment all day.

“We got a lot of things done,” he said. “And so there was no need to stay here until midnight.”

Some minority Democrats were ecstatic because bills they opposed didn't become law. “Victory!” shouted Atlanta Democrat Shea Roberts as she left the Capitol.

“The reality is that a lot of this session was spent on political messaging bills and on politics instead of focusing on Georgian families,” said state Sen. Jason Esteves, an Atlanta Democrat considering a run for governor in 2026.

Both Jones and Burns said there are no hard feelings over how things ended Friday, although Burns said he would have liked to clinch an agreement on school zone speed cameras.

House Majority Whip James Burchett, a Valdosta Republican, said that while House members may have held off on passing Senate proposals to “fully vet” them, the chambers have no choice but to work together.

“The Senate needs the House and the House needs the Senate,” Burchett said. "It would do no good if anyone were to hold some sort of grudge for this."

A teenaged page carries paper to toss into the air to celebrate the end of the 2025 legislative session on Friday, April 4, 2025 at the state Capitol in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

Georgia House members toss paper into the air to celebrate the end of the 2025 legislative session on Friday, April 4, 2025 at the state Capitol in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

Paper lies strewn in the Georgia Senate chamber after lawmakers tossed it into the air to celebrate the end of the 2025 legislative session on Friday, April 4, 2025 at the state Capitol in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)