Shohei Ohtani wins on the mound and hits 22nd homer in the Angels’ 5-3 victory over the Rangers
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 15: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels watches the flight of his home run during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 15, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani pitched six innings for his first victory in five starts and matched the MLB lead with his 22nd homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-3 victory over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
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).
Still in the game as the designated hitter, Ohtani hit a two-run homer in the eighth. It was a 443-foot opposite-field blast that landed in the second deck in left-center field. His 10th homer over the past 16 games, and the second pitching start in a row where he went deep, matched Pete Alonso for the big-league lead and extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
The Angels (39-32) won three of four in Texas, and have won nine of 11. They are still 4 1/2 games behind the Rangers (42-26), who have dropped six of eight.
After Angels reliever Carlos Estevez walked the bases loaded to start the ninth, Jacob Webb got his first save. He got two outs, then had a bases-loaded walk before striking out slugger Adolis Garcia to end it.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 15: Manager Bruce Bochy #15 of the Texas Rangers talks to umpire Ramón De Jesús #18 after the seventh inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field on June 15, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Ho
Ohtani’s homer came 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 the Rangers down 3-2 and a runner at third base with one out, Semien thought he had drawn a walk. He was heading toward first base after the full-count pitch when De Jesus signaled instead he had not held up his swing, setting off the arguments.