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- 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 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.