Ohtani cruises in longest start so far
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Angels already knew Shohei Ohtani had prodigious talent. He also showed a wealth of tenacity Sunday while beating the Rays.
Ohtani struck out nine while throwing 72⁄ innings of six-hit ball in his longest start yet, and the Angels snapped their fivegame skid with a 5-2 victory.
Martin Maldonado homered and drove in two runs, and Zack Cozart had two sacrifice flies.
Ohtani (4-1) limited the Rays to three runners in his first six innings. He retired 12 in a row after yielding Johnny Field’s ho-
Braves: Dansby Swanson’s two-run single capped a six-run ninth and the NL-leading Braves stunned the Marlins 10-9. Ronald Acuna Jr. drove in two runs in the seventh and another in the ninth as the Braves moved 11 games over .500 for the first time since 2014. Powered by Lewis Brinson’s grand slam, the Marlins led 9-4 to begin the ninth. ... The Braves released Jose Bautista and said Johan Camargo would take over at third. Bautista hit .143 with two home runs in 12 games.
Mets: Amed Rosario hit his first two home runs of the season and Asdrubal Cabrera connected for a go-ahead pinch homer in a 4-1 win that gave the Mets a sweep of the Diamondbacks. mer leading off the third.
“I had a little trouble in the seventh inning, and I was happy I was able to get out of it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I felt good, and I was glad we were able to get the win.”
Ohtani kept the Rays scoreless in the seventh despite yielding two singles, and he gave up a run while battling for two more outs in the eighth.
“That’s a great sign, to throw 110 pitches and maintain your stuff,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “Shohei showed a lot of what he’s about.”
While Ohtani went long, reliever Sergio Romo made a short
Cardinals: Jack Flaherty struck out a career-high 13 for his first MLB victory in a 5-1 win over the Phillies. Flaherty gave up one run on two hits in 72⁄ innings. Reliever Jordan Hicks threw two pitches at 105 mph. The Phils’ Odubel Herrera went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts to end his 45-game on-base streak.
Dodgers: Kike Hernandez and Yasiel Puig hit two-run homers to key a 7-2 victory and a threegame sweep of the Nationals. Yasmani Grandal also homered. Alex Wood allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. ... LHP Rich Hill returned to the DL a day after a blister burst on his left middle finger. Ambidextrous reliever Pat Venditte was recalled. start for the Rays for the second day in a row. He faced the Angels’ first six batters and got four outs.
Romo became the first pitcher to start back-to-back games since Zack Greinke did it for the Brewers in July 2012 after getting ejected from his first start after four pitches. Romo is the first pitcher to pitch at least one inning in back-to-back starts since Steve McCatty did it for the A’s in 1980.
Romo made the first two starts of his 11-year career and didn’t allow a run. He struck out the side in the first inning Saturday and struck out three more Sunday but also walked two.
Astros: Lance McCullers Jr. took a perfect game into the sixth before allowing Jason Kipnis’ single but threw seven innings of one-hit ball in a 3-1 win over the Indians. Brian McCann hit a two-run homer and Josh Reddick doubled home a run.
Yankees: Tyler Austin hit two two-run homers, Sonny Gray pitched eight innings of four-hit ball and the Yanks beat the Royals 10-1 to win eight consecutive series for the first time since 1998.
Mariners: Mitch Haniger hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth, and Jean Segura’s RBI single in the 11th beat the Tigers 3-2. Francisco Liriano lost a no-hit bid in the seventh on Haniger’s one-out single.