Ohtani shines, allowing one hit in Angels’ victory

ANGELS 6, ATHLETICS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani seemed to be the only person in Angel Stadium who wasn’t incredibly impressed while he mowed down the Oakland Athletics’ first 19 batters in order.

But when Ohtani finally yielded a hit and then struck out Matt Olson with two runners on to end the seventh inning, he gave a fist pump and a celebratory scream at the ground while the crowd rose for a standing ovation.

Even the two-way Japanese sensation realized his first home pitching start was a thrilling moment in his increasingly incredible rookie season.

Ohtani threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball in his home debut on the mound, propelling the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-1 victory Sunday.

Marcus Semien’s clean one-out single to left broke up Ohtani’s bid for a perfect game, but he finished the inning with his 12th strikeout. Mixing 99 mph fastballs with precipitous breaking pitches, Ohtani (2-0) was too much for Oakland — until the seventh, when he showed resilience, too.

“I wanted to keep a clean zero on the board,” Ohtani said. “One hit would [mean] two runs, and it’s a huge difference. I wanted that strikeout, and I got it.”

Ohtani, 23, struck out the side twice during the latest feat in a series of early season superlatives.

RED SOX 8, RAYS 7 Boston’s Xander Bogaerts left with a left ankle injury in the seventh inning of the Red Sox’ victory over visiting Tampa Bay. The shortstop got hurt while sliding down into the Tampa Bay dugout and will have tests Monday. Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) hit a tiebreaking RBI double in Boston’s wild six-run eighth inning, and the Red Sox won their eighth consecutive.

ORIOLES 8, YANKEES 7 (12) Brad Brach escaped his own bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 12th inning, getting his second save for visiting Baltimore when Aaron Judge grounded into a rare pitcher-to-catcher-to-third double play and striking out Giancarlo Stanton.

INDIANS 3, ROYALS 1 Yan Gomes hit a tiebreaking two-run home run off Brandon Maurer (0-2) in the ninth inning to lead host Cleveland past Kansas City.

TIGERS 1, WHITE SOX 0 Mike Fiers combined with four relievers on a three-hitter that completed a three-game sweep for visiting Detroit.

BLUE JAYS 7, RANGERS 4 Steve Pearce homered on the first pitch of the game from Cole Hamels (1-2), and Kendrys Morales added a threerun shot in the first inning as visiting Toronto defeated Texas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MARLINS 6, PHILLIES 3 Jake Arrieta (0-1) lasted just four innings in his Philadelphia debut, allowing 3 runs — 2 earned — and 3 hits while striking out 5 in a loss to visiting Miami.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, CARDINALS 1 David Peralta hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run off Dominic Leone in the eighth inning for visiting Arizona in a game that saw Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo get tossed.

CUBS 3, BREWERS 0 Jose Quintana (1-1) three-hit ball over six innings, Ben Zobrist homered and visiting Chicago finished 5-4 on its longest season-opening trip since going 7-5 in 1899.

PIRATES 5, REDS 0 Jameson Taillon (2-0) pitched a one-hitter for his first shutout in 45 major league starts, allowing Tyler Mahle’s single to center with one out in the third inning for host Pittsburgh.

DODGERS 2, GIANTS 1 (10) Cody Bellinger overcame food poisoning to score the goahead run on Kyle Farmer’s pinch-hit double in the 10th inning off Pierce Johnson (0-1) and Los Angeles defeated host San Francisco.

BRAVES 4, ROCKIES 0 Sean Newcomb (1-1) allowed three hits in the first inning before retiring the next 16 batters to help Atlanta shut out host Colorado.

METS 6, NATIONALS 5 (12) Yoenis Cespedes scored Juan Lagares with a broken-bat single in the 12th inning to help New York beat host Washington to complete a three-game sweep.

INTERLEAGUE

ASTROS 4, PADRES 1 Max Stassi hit a three-run home run off Tyson Ross (1-1), Charlie Morton (2-0) allowed four hits and three walks for one unearned run in six innings for host Houston. The 52-degree temperature with the open roof for the first pitch was the coolest in Minute Maid Park’s history, beating 57 degrees on April 8, 2007.