Ohtani hits 45th HR while surging Astros rout Angels 10-5

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani's latest majestic homer wasn't nearly enough to turn back the Houston Astros as they steamroll toward another AL West title.

Ohtani hit his 45th homer in the eighth inning, but Aledmys Díaz and Kyle Tucker hit back-to-back homers and drove in three runs apiece while leading the Astros to a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Ohtani connected for his first homer since Sept. 10, driving a solo shot off Houston’s Cristian Javier 445 feet into the elevated right field stands at the Big A.

“Chop that up a little bit, you might get two or three out of that,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said.

Ohtani has only three homers in September, but the two-way superstar is just one behind Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kansas City's Salvador Perez for the major league lead.

With a 116.1 mph exit velocity that resembled his early-season feats, Ohtani also matched Mike Trout's 45 homers in 2019 for the second-most in Angels history. Troy Glaus hit 47 in 2000.

Ohtani declined to speak to reporters afterward, but Maddon weighed in on the AL MVP race, which some believe is tightening this month while Ohtani slumps and Guerrero contends for the Triple Crown: “I think everybody (else) is in second, third, fourth and fifth place.”

Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and Martin Maldonado added a solo shot in another blowout victory at the Big A for the Astros, who routed the Angels 10-0 on Monday. Houston built a 10-1 lead in the sixth inning of the rematch before coasting to its 12th win in 17 meetings with Los Angeles this season.

“We know this team is capable to do it every day,” Díaz said. “The guys are taking great at-bats now, top to bottom. We’re playing good baseball right now, and hopefully we can keep it for the next month...

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