Ohtani throws 4 shutout innings, Trout, Pujols homer for LA

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani pitched four rollercoaster scoreless innings, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols homered and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Kurt Suzuki also went deep for the Angels, who have won six of their nine home games.

Ohtani took the mound for the first time since April 4 after dealing with a blister issue on the middle finger of his throwing hand. The right-hander allowed only one hit but was the first starting pitcher since at least 1901 to toss four shutout innings with at least six walks and seven strikeouts.

According to Sportradar, he joins Colorado's Tyler Chatwood (2017) and Bill Bailey of the 1914 Baltimore Terrapins to go five innings or fewer and allow no runs on one hit with at least six walks and seven strikeouts.

Ohtani — who was on a pitch limit — threw 80 in all and was never able to retire the Rangers in order. But he was effective when needed.

After getting Isiah Kiner-Falefa to ground out to start the game, Ohtani walked the next three Texas hitters to load the bases. However, he got out of the inning by striking out Nick Solak and Willie Calhoun.

Adolis García walked with one out in the second but was caught stealing at second. Ohtani walked García again with two outs in the fourth and then hit Brock Holt with a pitch before he struck out Kiner-Falefa for his final out of the night. Ohtani's 37 strikes included 13 swings and misses.

Solak homered for the Rangers, who were held to five hits and left nine runners on base. Jordan Lyles (0-2) went six innings, allowing three runs and five hits.

Trout, whose 32-game on-base streak was snapped Monday, had three hits. He led off the fourth with a double to left-center after miscommunication by the Rangers' outfielders, and gave the...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ohtani-throws-4-shutout-innings-Trout-Pujols-16116629.php