Ohtani's legs help Angels past Rangers, who lose 100th game

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani sparked a four-run sixth-inning rally with his legs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat Texas 7-2 on Wednesday night to send the Rangers to their first 100-loss season since 1973.

With the score 2-2, Ohtani led off the sixth with a sharp grounder to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and beat pitcher Taylor Hearn to the bag. Ohtani stole second, continued to third on a throwing error by catcher Jose Trevino and came home when Jack Mayfield singled through a drawn-in infield.

Before the game, Los Angeles manager Joe Maddon said the two-way star will not pitch again this season. Ohtani is hitting .258 with 45 homers, 98 RBIs and 26 stolen bases to go along with a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA in 23 starts, and 156 strikeouts and 44 walks in 130 1/3 innings.

Texas joined Baltimore and Arizona (107 defeats) as 100-game losers, and Pittsburgh has 99 defeats with four games left. The only previous seasons with four 100-loss teams were 2002 and 2019.

Jared Walsh and Juan Lagares added RBI singles in the sixth and Luis Rengifo hit into a run-scoring forceout.

Texas put runners on the corners with none out in the sixth against reliever Austin Warren, but Jose Quijada (1-2) struck out the next three batters to earn his first win since July 2019.

Hearn (6-6) allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, throwing a career-high 91 pitches.

Angels rookie starter Janson Junk took a two-hit shutout into the fifth inning, then gave up four straight two-out singles that tied the score 2-2. Making his fourth big league start, Junk allowed seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, struck out five and walked none in throwing a career-most 69 pitches.

Los Angeles led 2-0 in the second inning and had runners at second and third with two outs when Lagares was picked off...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ohtani-s-legs-help-Angels-past-Rangers-who-lose-16498101.php