BALTIMORE -- Angels left fielder Daniel Nava knew Baltimore's Manny Machado had put just enough wood on the ball for a potential homer in the first inning of Friday's series opener at Camden Yards.
As Nava tracked back, he could sense the wall just behind. He then timed his leap perfectly to rob Machado of his 20th home run of the season.
The catch also set the tone for the Angels, who scored three times the following inning en route to a 9-5 victory. Los Angeles has now won a season-high-tying four games. Nava is hoping the catch, and the big win, can be a catalyst for more positive outcomes in what has been a challenging season so far.
"I think we know where we stand," Nava said. "The odds are totally against [us] and no one is giving us a fighting chance, which is exactly where we want to be. It's a long season. The rest is going to be good for our team."
Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who picked up his first win since May 27, could feel the momentum shift after Nava's catch.
"That catch was unbelievable," Shoemaker said. "That saved another run. It's always a boost as a pitcher, a team morale boost. Everyone just gets excited. It was a great catch."
But it was not the first time the Angels have taken a homer away from Baltimore. Mike Trout made a leaping catch at the wall in right-center to take a homer from J.J. Hardy on June 27, 2012. Then-center fielder Peter Bourjos did the same thing to Hardy on June 11, 2013.