Ohtani hits 25th homer, drives in 3 as Angels beat Rays 6-4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his 25th homer and drove in three runs, and the Los Angeles Angels stopped a five-game losing streak by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Sunday.

Ohtani hit an opposite-field shot to left in the ninth against Pete Fairbanks. He also had a run-scoring double in the sixth and a tying RBI triple during the Angels' two-run seventh inning.

“He really likes the moment," Los Angeles manager Joe Maddon said. “He loves to play baseball. He loves to compete. He has a really high baseball IQ. He sees things and then goes in and does it.”

Ohtani has 46 extra-base hits this season.

“He can beat you in many ways,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “He hangs in there against lefties. He's willing to go the other way, like he showed for the home run.”

Phil Gosselin put the Angels up 5-4 with his leadoff homer in the eighth against Matt Wisler (1-3).

Tony Watson (3-3) worked one inning for the win, and Raisel Iglesias got four outs for his 13th save.

Brandon Lowe and Ji-Man Choi homered for the Rays, who had won four in a row.

Wander Franco and Austin Meadows chased Patrick Sandoval with consecutive singles to start the sixth. After Mike Mayers retired Randy Arozarena, Choi’s three-run shot gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead.

Choi’s run, charged to Mayers, ended the right-hander’s season-long stretch of not allowing a run on the road at 14 games.

Franco had been hitless in 18-at bats since collecting a homer and double in his major league debut Tuesday.

David Fletcher opened the sixth with a single and scored on Ohtani's double off Ryan Yarbrough, lifting the Angels to a 2-1 lead.

Maddon moved Fletcher, who has a 12-game hitting streak, from ninth to leadoff. Ohtani had hit first the previous two...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ohtani-hits-25th-homer-drives-in-3-as-Angels-16277757.php