Ohtani, Angels down A’s; Dodgers prevail over Giants

ANAHEIM – It was not even 10 o’clock on Sunday morning. The Los Angeles Angels would play the Oakland Athletics, but not for another three hours.

At that hour, the players usually speed right on into the parking lot. Not on this day.

“There’s a carnival going on out there,” one of the players said as he walked into the clubhouse.

The player spoke not out of jealousy, but out of wonderment. The concept that traffic would be so clogged so many hours before a game in Anaheim is something new, something different, something amazing. So is Shohei Ohtani. The Angels sold out. They sold 44,742 tickets, more than for opening day, more than for any regular-season day game since they downsized their stadium 20 years ago.

What could be more dramatic than Ohtani hitting a home run in his first at-bat at Angel Stadium? How about pitching a perfect game in his first start at Angel Stadium?

Ohtani very nearly did, nearly enough to get the crowd cheering in anticipation of third strikes in the fifth and sixth innings. With one out in the seventh, when Marcus Semien ended the perfect game by slapping a 96-mph fastball into left field, the crowd rose and rewarded Ohtani with a warm ovation.

In response, he thumbs-up sign.

He struck out the side in the first inning, and 12 in all. He gave up one hit in the 6-1 win. His fastball ran as fast as 99.6 mph. His last fastball – on his next-tolast pitch, his 90th – hit 98 mph. flashed a

MLB / 14 Angels pitcher Shoehei Ohtani waves to the fans after defeating the A’s 6-1 at Anaheim Stadium on Sunday in Anaheim.