Oh, my: Ohtani hits homer, 101 mph
Phillies complete series sweep against Atlanta
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani hit a 451-foot homer and pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning in a historic two-way performance, and Jared Walsh hit a walkoff homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday night.
Walsh hit two homers, including a big three-run shot off Matt Foster to end the Angels’ third win over Chicago in their four-game, season-opening series.
Ohtani reached another milestone in his unique career when he took the mound and occupied the No. 2 slot in the batting order for the Angels. He was just the third pitcher in 45 seasons to hit for himself in a game with the designated hitter available, and the first to bat second since Jack Dunleavy did it for the Cardinals in 1903.
In the first inning alone, Ohtani both threw the hardest pitch by any starting pitcher in baseball this season and produced the hardest hit by any batter this season. Ohtani touched 101 mph with a fastball, and his first-pitch homer off Chicago’s Dylan Cease left his bat at 115 mph.
Even Ohtani’s 109.7-mph lineout to center in the second inning was hit harder than any other ball in the game except his own homer.
Ohtani also didn’t allow a run through the first four innings, but his control problems abetted Chicago’s three-run rally in the fifth. Ohtani left after a passed ball and a throwing error by catcher Max Stassi led to a scary collision at home plate between Ohtani and AL MVP José Abreu, but the Angels said the two-way star avoided injury.
PHILLIES 2, BRAVES 1: In Philadelphia, Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, Zach Eflin gave the Phillies another strong start as they completed a three-game sweep of defending NL East champion Atlanta.
Philadelphia’s starting trio of Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and Eflin (1-0) surrendered three runs, 11 hits and one walk in 20⅔ innings against an Atlanta lineup that led the majors in 2020 with 556 hits.
REDS 12, CARDINALS 1: In Cincinnati, Nick Castellanos came out swinging with his bat a day after being ejected for inciting a bench-clearing melee, hitting a three-run homer off Carlos Martinez (0-1) and triple to finish the series 6 for 11 with five RBIs.
Tyler Naquin also a three-run shot for the Reds, who won two in a row to take the opening matchup of NL Central teams that earned wild-card spots last season.
INDIANS 9, TIGERS 3: In Detroit, Jordan Luplow hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run seventh, and Cleveland overcame a home run by Akil Baddoo on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat.
Baddoo was taken by the Tigers with the third pick of the 2020 winter meeting draft of unprotected players. The 22-year-old, who had never played above Class A, gave his bat a little flip after hitting an opposite-field drive to left in the third off Aaron Civale (1-0).
ORIOLES 11, RED SOX 3: In Boston, the Red Sox dropped to 0-3 at Fenway Park for the first time since 1948 and the second time ever as Trey Mancini and Austin Hays hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning.
Boston is coming off a 24-36 record that was its worst winning percentage since 1965.
BLUE JAYS 3, YANKEES 1: In New York Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk homered off Domingo Germán (0-1), who allowed three runs over three innings in his first appearance since Sept. 18, 2019, after serving a suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Toronto won two of three.
CUBS 4, PIRATES 4: In Chicago, Zach Davies (1-0) permitted two runs and four hits in 5⅔ innings in his Chicago debut against short-handed Pittsburgh.
Ian Happ homered and Kris Bryant reached three times as Chicago earned its second straight win after losing on opening day.
RANGERS 7, ROYALS 3: In Kansas City, Nate Lowe three-run homer in the third for Texas, which avoided a sweep and gave him a team-record nine RBIs in the first three games of the season, a Texas record.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa also drove in three runs.
TWINS 8, BREWERS 2: In Milwaukee, Miguel Sanó and former La Cueva High School and University of New Mexico star Mitch Garver homered to back up Michael Pineda (1-0), who gave up just one unearned run and four hits in five innings.
DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 2: In Denver, Julio Urías (1-0) gave up one run and three hits over seven-plus innings in the longest start of the 24-year-old lefthander’s major league career. He struck out six and walked one.
Austin Gomber (0-1) walked seven, allowing three runs — one earned — and one hit in three innings.
Los Angeles scored three runs without a hit in the first, and Will Smith homered leading off the eighth.
ASTROS 9, ATHLETICS 2: In Oakland, Calif., Jason Castro homered in his first start with Houston since as a free agent following the 2016 season, helping complete a four-game sweep.
Dusty Baker tied Bill McKechnie for 14th among managers with 1,896 wins.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 1: In San Diego, rookie Taylor Widener (1-0) held San Diego to three hits over six scoreless innings to win his first big league start and David Peralta hit a two-run triple as Arizona avoided a four-game sweep.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first homer of the season with two outs in the ninth, off Chris Devenski, who got the save.