ARLINGTON, Texas — Possibly Shohei Ohtani used to be just a little drained, as supervisor Phil Nevin joked, when the two-way celebrity took his terminating obese swing for the Los Angeles Angels and coupled the MLB top along with his twenty second homer — and fourth of their series-clinching victory over American League West-leading Texas.
Nearest Ohtani threw six innings to get his first victory in his while 5 begins, he accident every other second-deck homer the other means, although this two-run within the 8th went “only” 443 ft because the Angels gained 5-3 on Thursday evening to whip 3 of 4 video games.
“Gutsy six innings, two runs against a really, really good lineup. Thought he threw the ball great,” Nevin stated. “Let’s talk about the hitting, too. Yeah, that was nice. … Just an unreal series.
“What this sport’s supposed for a bundle people right here, great to look him on a obese degree do stuff like that.”
Ohtani’s 10th homer in his past 16 games, and the second pitching start in a row when he also went deep, matched Pete Alonso for the big league lead and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. The left-handed hitter also went into the upper deck to the left of center in the series opener Monday and again Wednesday — those going 459 and 453 feet. His second homer in Monday’s game, a 388-foot drive that just cleared the left-field wall, came on the first pitch of the 12th inning.
“Clearly a plenty win, they’re in first park, and I feel all of the boys had been fired up as a result of that,” Ohtani said through his translator. “I’m perceptible the ball actually smartly and I believe actually excellent in my setup.”
Ohtani (6-2) had already thrown the last of his 99 pitches before Mickey Moniak‘s tying homer leading off the top of the seventh against Nathan Eovaldi (9-3), who lost in his bid to become only the second 10-game winner in the majors.
The Angels (39-32) have won nine of their past 11 overall. They’re still 4½ games behind the Rangers (42-26), who have dropped six of eight.
After Angels closer Carlos Estevez walked the bases loaded to start the ninth, Jacob Webb got his first save, working around a bases-loaded walk before striking out slugger Adolis Garcia to end it.
Ohtani, who remained in as the designated hitter, homered soon after Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, pitching coach Mike Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy were all ejected by first base umpire Ramon De Jesus.
In the bottom of the seventh, with Texas down 3-2 and a runner at third, Semien thought he had drawn a walk. He was heading toward first base after the full-count pitch when De Jesus instead signaled he had not held up his swing.
Semien took a long walk to the dugout, even pointing at his eyes while glaring toward the umpire.
“It’s a choice that may have became that sport round, we don’t know, however definitely used to be a plenty name that went in opposition to us,” Bochy said.
When Semien went out on the field for the eighth, he stopped and appeared to be having a calm discussion with De Jesus before getting ejected. Maddux then ran out of the dugout to get in between them and was also thrown out before Bochy followed and was also ejected.
“I’m simply unbalanced at myself for even providing at that tone, however I assumed I made a excellent whip,” Semien said, adding that he never got an answer from De Jesus on what he said to get tossed.
In the series opener Monday, De Jesus ejected Angels infielder Brandon Drury after he got into the umpire’s face to argue a called third strike. He was suspended by MLB for one game for making slight contact with De Jesus, and was sitting out Thursday’s game to satisfy that suspension.
Ohtani struck out three and walked one, allowing six hits and two runs — in a three-batter stretch with two outs in the third when Lowe and Garcia had back-to-back doubles before Jonah Heim‘s RBI unmarried.
The Related Press contributed to this document.
