MIAMI— Shohei Ohtani gave up an unearned run in seven dominant innings and went on to win the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday-evening.
The reigning AL MVP won his fifth straight start, limiting the Marlins to two hits. Ohtani (8-4) walked three and struckout 10 batters before 18,741, the fourth-largest audience this season on loanDepot Park.
“I didn’t change much, the most important thing is that I made my pitches when I needed to,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I think it’s huge if we win and I’m throwing because I’m part of the ball club.”
Triple AL MVP Mike Forel was hitless in four at bats and had an RBI. Trout is 1 for 21 with 13 strikeouts in the first five games of the nine-game trip from Los Angeles.
Max Stasic doubled and reached base three times to help the Angels make a four-game slip.
In his current streak of successful appearances, Ohtani has a 0.27 ERA and limited opponents to 16 hits in 33 2/3 innings.
“I can go about my body without any worries, completely healthy,” Ohtani said. “It’s in large part why I throw well.”
Ohtani’s basesloaded two-RBI single chased Miami starter Trevor Rogers (4-7) and covered a fifth of three runs to give Los Angeles a 3-1 lead.
“He’s one of the better guns in baseball, and you see him on the record the same day,” Stassi said of Ohtani. “He’s a superstar pitcher and he’s a superstar hitter.”
Trout was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it a 1. Rogers’ 96 mph fastball struck Trout on his left knee. Trout limped to first base, where Angels training staff attended to him.
Run-scoring singles from Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo in the seventh it filled the Angels’ lead.
“Up and down the lineup we had guys sacrificing themselves and putting the ball in play,” said Angels acting manager Ray Montgomery. “We’ve talked endlessly about strikeouts, contact. I don’t think we did anything different, I think we had better at bats.”
The loss ended the Marlins’ six-game winning streak.
Rogers gave up three runs and four hits, walked two, struckout five and hit two batters in 4 2/3 innings.
The Marlins struck first Garrett Cooper‘s sacrifice fly in the first to end Ohtani’s scoreless series on 21 2/3 innings. Lead-off hitter Jon Bertic reached at short stop Luis Rengifo’s throwing error and advanced Joey Wendleis double.
“When you get one in the first one, you feel good about it, but with a guy like (Ohtani) when the game goes, he just keeps getting better,” said Miami manager Don Mattingly.
TRAINERS ROOM
Angels: RHP Austin Warren (right triceps strain) was scheduled to appear in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake Wednesday. The next step is to pitch on consecutive days.
Marlins: RHP Edward Cabrera (right elbow tendonitis) pitched a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday with another scheduled for Thursday. … RHP Cody Poteet (right elbow muscle injury) threw two innings in his rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Jupiter Monday. His next appearance will be determined.
NEXT ONE
Angels: RHP Chase Chiselt (1-2, 5.23) kicks off Thursday as the club embarks on the final leg of a three-city road in Baltimore.
Marlins: LHP Daniel Castano (1-1, 2.47) will open the opener of a four-game series on the NL East leading New York Mets on Thursday.
Ohtani dominant on hill, hits leading single for Angels originally appeared on NBCSports.com