Taylor Twellman, ESPN's lead soccer match analyst for Major League Soccer and the U.S. Men's National Team, joined Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on ESPN 97.5 to talk about the upcoming USMNT friendlies in Orlando and Houston. Among the topics Twellman and Davis dive in are the forward pool, criticism in the media and ticket pricing.
Price of a European Qualifier!!!! https://t.co/djWqQ3L6JE— Taylor Twellman (@Taylor Twellman) 1553042378.0
The U.S. Men will face Ecuador at Orlando City Stadium on Thursday night (7 p.m. CT, ESPN2) before coming to Houston to face Chile at BBVA Compass Stadium (7 p.m. CT, ESPN2). Twellman will be the color analyst for both of those national broadcasts.
[GRANATO: Soccer really does matter - and it could matter even more]
You can hear Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis Tuesdays on ESPN 97.5 from 7-9 pm. You can listen live or on demand with the ESPN 97.5 radio app and on PodcastArena.com.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.