Shohei Ohtani gave up one unearned run in six innings and Mike Moustakas hit a tiebreaking three-run homer to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Ohtani (10-5) gave up three hits, walked three and struck out five while making 97 pitches in his first start since cutting his last start short with a cramp in his right hand last Thursday.
At the plate, Ohtani went 0-for-2 with two walks (one intentional) and a run scored.
Moustakas came up with the big hit of the game, a sixth-inning blast off Giants reliever Tristan Beck (3-1) on an 0-2 pitch. Moustakas turned on a breaking ball down-and-in and hit it for his 11th homer of the season.
Seven of Moustakis’ home runs have come since his trade to the Angels from the Colorado Rockies in late June, and six of the seven have either tied the game or given the Angels a lead.
The Angels bullpen was able to hold the lead, though it didn’t come easily. The Giants loaded the bases with two out against Jose Soriano in the seventh, but Soriano was able to get Thairo Estrada to hit into a force play to end the threat.
Matt Moore threw a scoreless eighth before Carlos Esteves, after blown saves in two of his previous three appearances, pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
The only run the Giants scored against Ohtani came in the second inning, when Michael Conforto doubled and Patrick Bailey walked with one out. After a pitch to Brandon Crawford, Angels catcher Matt Thaiss threw to second in an effort to pick off Conforto.
But the ball bounced and then deflected off Conforto’s helmet into right field. Conforto moved to third and Bailey to second on Thaiss’ error, and Conforto then scored on Crawford’s sacrifice fly to center.
A double by Moustakas off Giants opener Ryan Walker in the first inning gave the Angels runners on second and third with two out. However, C.J. Cron struck out to end the threat.
Sean Manaea replaced Walker to start the second and didn’t allow a hit to the Angels until Luis Rengifo led off the sixth with a double. It spelled the end for Manaea and the beginning of a four-run inning for the Angels.
With Rengifo on second, Ohtani was walked intentionally before Brandon Drury singled home Rengifo.
Moustakas followed with his tie-breaking homer.
–Field Level Media
The Toronto Blue Jays non-tendered two-time All-Star closer Jordan Romano on Friday, making the right-hander a free agent. Romano, 31, first reached the majors in 2019 with the Blue Jays…
The Kansas City Royals dealt right-handed starting pitcher Brady Singer to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for second baseman Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer on Friday. The Reds moved…
Alyssa Nakken, the first full-time female coach in major league history, is departing the San Francisco Giants for a player development role with the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians haven’t announced…
Royals land 2B Jonathan India, send Brady Singer to Reds
Alyssa Nakken, first female coach, departs Giants for Guardians
Dodgers agree to one-year deal with RHP Dustin May
St. Petersburg council approves, then rejects Tropicana Field repairs