PITTSBURGH -- Yusei Kikuchi is finally back in the win column.
The Angels left-hander notched his first victory since Sept. 24, 2025, tossing six scoreless innings against the Pirates in a 6-1 win on Saturday at PNC Park.
Kikuchi had not won any of his nine starts during an injury-plagued 2026 season while posting a 5.65 ERA.
Yet, Kikuchi (1-5) was sharp this time in helping the Angels win for just the second time in their last 12 games, as he scattered five hits and three walks while striking out six. The Pirates were 0-for-6 against Kikuchi with runners in scoring position.
The Halos entered the night with an MLB-worst 53-88 record.
Kikuchi was an All-Star last season, his first with the Angels after signing a three-year, $60 million contract as a free agent in November 2024. However, he missed 98 games this season due to shoulder inflammation before being activated from the injured list on Aug. 23.
The Angels scored at least four runs for just the fourth time in 19 games. Wade Meckler hit two doubles; Zach Neto had three hits while Mike Trout also added two, and Josh Lowe belted his 11th home run of the season.
The Angels tagged Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft (14-6) for three runs and seven hits in five innings.
Bryan Reynolds broke up the Angels’ bid for their 12th shutout of the season when he hit a solo home run in the eighth inning off Luke Murphy. Reynolds was 3-for-3 with a walk.