Porterville Recorder

Ohtani hits pinch-hit HR, lifts Angels over Dodgers 4-3

- By JILL PAINTER LOPEZ

ANAHEIM — Shohei Ohtani’s pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning sent Andrew Heaney and the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Heaney allowed only three hits and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings to help the Angels take two of three at home in the Freeway Series. He gave up a three-run homer to Yasiel Puig, who later left with an oblique injury.

Ohtani drove his first career pinch-hit homer a projected 443 feet to center field, breaking a 3-all tie. It also was the Angels’ first pinch-hit home run of the season.

The two-way rookie star from Japan, unavailabl­e to pitch because of an elbow injury, fouled a ball off his knee one day earlier and experience­d soreness. He was not in the starting lineup and it was unclear if he would be able to come off the bench. But he did, and Ohtani hit a 2-2 pitch from reliever JT Chargois (2-2) for his seventh home run of the season.

Albert Pujols also went deep for the Angels, tying the score at 3 in the sixth. Justin Upton had a two-run single.

Puig homered in the second after Heaney (56) walked two batters in the inning. The lefthander was dominant after that. Justin Anderson al-

lowed a single in the ninth but got Cody Bellinger to ground into a game-ending double play for his fourth save.

Puig exited during an at-bat in the fifth with a strained right oblique. He grimaced in pain and hunched over after taking a swing.

In the third inning, the Dodgers elected to intentiona­lly walk Mike Trout to load the bases with two outs. Upton, who had struggled with runners in scoring position, hit a two-run single to center to pull the Angels to 3-2.

Pujols tied the game with a solo home run, his 13th of the season, in the sixth.

Trout has been walked

intentiona­lly 16 times this season, which is the ninth-most before the All-star break in American League history. John Olerud had the most in the AL with 22 in 1993.

Alex Wood had won four consecutiv­e starts before Sunday, but didn’t factor into the decision. He allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. Trainer's room

Dodgers: RHP Walker

Buehler (right rib micro fracture) threw a fiveinning simulated game of 75 pitches. He’ll throw a bullpen Wednesday and make a start next weekend against the Angels.

Angels: X-rays on Ohtani’s knee were negative . ... RHP Matt Shoemaker (right forearm) will start a throwing program Tuesday with hopes of returning this season.

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