ANAHEIM, Calif. (Interstat) — José Soriano overpowered Atlanta’s lineup with a career-high 10 strikeouts over eight dominant innings, and Jo Adell’s two-run homer broke the game open as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-2 on Monday night at Angel Stadium.

In a matchup of teams with identical records, the Angels’ right-hander outdueled Braves ace Chris Sale, delivering his third consecutive scoreless start before allowing a lone run. Soriano improved to 3-0, having yet to allow an earned run this season over 20 innings.

The game’s pivotal sequence arrived in the bottom of the fourth inning. Trailing 2-1, the Angels mounted a patient, protracted rally against Sale that fundamentally shifted the contest. Jorge Soler was hit by a pitch, Jo Adell singled, and Jeimer Candelario walked to load the bases with no outs. Sale then walked Logan O’Hoppe on five pitches, forcing in the tying run. After a force out at home, Sale hit Yoán Moncada with a pitch, forcing in the go-ahead run. Bryce Teodosio followed with an RBI single to shortstop, capping a three-run inning that saw the Angels send nine men to the plate, scoring all their runs without an extra-base hit.

Los Angeles put the game out of reach an inning later. After a Soler single, Adell connected on a towering two-run homer to left-center field off Sale, extending the Angels’ lead to 6-1. That blast provided more than enough support for Soriano.

The Braves struck first in the opening frame. After a leadoff groundout, catcher Drake Baldwin launched a solo home run to right-center field off Soriano, giving Atlanta an early 1-0 edge. The Angels answered immediately in the bottom half, as leadoff man Zach Neto sent Sale’s second pitch of the game over the left-field wall for his fourth homer of the year, tying the score.

From there, Soriano took control. He retired 15 of the next 16 Braves he faced following Baldwin’s homer, mixing a sharp slider with a high-velocity fastball to keep Atlanta’s hitters off balance. The Braves managed just three hits against him—the Baldwin homer, a first-inning single by Matt Olson, and an eighth-inning single by Mike Yastrzemski.

Atlanta’s only other threat came in the ninth against reliever Chase Silseth. Pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubón led off with a solo homer to left. After a strikeout, Baldwin singled and Austin Riley walked, bringing the tying run to the plate with one out. Angels manager summoned closer Jordan Romano, who entered and needed just two pitches to induce a game-ending flyout from Yastrzemski. Romano recorded his fourth save of the season.

Sale took the loss for Atlanta, falling to 2-1. He was charged with six runs on five hits over five innings, walking three and striking out six. The Braves bullpen of Joel Payamps, Aaron Bummer, and Osvaldo Bido combined for three hitless innings of relief.

The victory moved both teams to 6-5 on the young season. The Angels’ win defied pregame projections, as statistical models heavily favored the Braves, predicting a 6-2 Atlanta victory with a 60.2% win probability.

For the Angels, Soriano’s emerging ace-level performance headlined the night. Over his last three starts, he has allowed just six hits and no earned runs while striking out 21. Adell finished 2 for 4 with the homer and two RBIs, while Neto added his early solo shot.

The Braves were held to five hits total, with Baldwin’s 2-for-4, one RBI effort standing out. Their offense continued a recent slump, having scored just eight total runs over their last three games after a 17-run outburst last Thursday.

The two teams will continue their three-game series Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.