Angels Walk Off Cardinals to End 106-Game Late-Inning Losing Streak
The Los Angeles Angels defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on a walk-off hit-by-pitch Monday night at Angel Stadium, ending a streak of 106 consecutive games in which the club had failed to win when trailing in the ninth inning, according to ESPN. Jo Adell was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Zach Neto to score the winning run from third base. The victory gave a struggling Angels franchise a rare late-game breakthrough in what has otherwise been a difficult season.
The win was amplified in the stands by the so-called "tarps off" movement, a fan celebration in which supporters remove their shirts and wave them overhead. The cheer has been concentrated in the right-field section of Angel Stadium and has grown throughout the 2026 season. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had previously acknowledged the phenomenon at Busch Stadium - where Cardinals fans performed a similar celebration on 15 May during a game against the Kansas City Royals - going so far as to express interest in purchasing tickets for participating fans. On Monday, Angels supporters turned the gesture back on St. Louis. surfing online betting
The right-field section where the celebration is centered has also become a venue for fan frustration with the club's ownership. Chants of "Sell the Team" have been directed at Angels owner Arte Moreno on multiple occasions this season, reflecting discontent stemming from the franchise's failure to qualify for the postseason since 2014. At 40-61, the Angels sit at the bottom of the American League West standings, 11 games behind the division leader, and the walk-off win does little to alter the team's broader trajectory.
The Angels remain one of the AL West's most marginal postseason contenders heading into the second half of the season. Whether Monday's result marks a turning point in late-game performance or stands as an isolated result will become clearer in the coming weeks as the club continues to navigate a division it has not led in over a decade.
