Ohtani hits another HR; Angels lose in 10
ANAHEIM » The latest blast in the Shohei Ohtani Homer Barrage wasn’t enough to get the Angels a sweep.
Ohtani hit his sixth homer in six games on Sunday afternoon, but the Angels still lost, 5-3, to the Detroit Tigers in 10 innings, missing their shot to win all four games in the series.
Ohtani is tied for the major league lead with 23 homers. That also set a career high for Ohtani, who hit 22 in his rookie season in 2018.
“It’s pretty incredible, right?” manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s really fun to
watch. He is playing with so much confidence. He’s so talented and he’s playing with a ton of confidence on top of that, pitching-wise, hitting-wise, baserunningwise.”
Ohtani had tied the score in the fifth with a two-run homer, but the Angels were never able to crack the Tigers bullpen to take the lead.
Closer Raisel Iglesias worked a perfect ninth and then he took the mound again in the 10th, with the automatic runner at second.
Miguel Cabrera hit a bouncer to the right of the mount and Iglesias tried to field it, rather than letting third baseman Anthony Rendon make the play. It ticked off Iglesias’ glove for an infield single.
Maddon said Iglesias should have let the ball go.
“It’s one of those things the pitcher naturally reacts, and sometimes pitchers need to stay out of the way,” Maddon said.
After a walk loaded the bases, Iglesias gave up a two-run single to Daz Cameron. Steve Cishek eventually struck out two to escape the inning with no further damage.
In the bottom of the inning, David Fletcher and Luis Rengifo struck out before Ohtani could get to the plate with a chance to tie the score. Ohtani walked on four pitches and then Taylor Ward struck out, ending the 4-hour, 3-minute marathon.
By the time it was over, the performance of Angels starting pitcher Dylan Bundy was a distant memory.
Bundy brought a 6.98 ERA and significant questions about his job security into the game, and he showed some encouraging signs.
Bundy was charged with one earned run in four-plus innings, and that scored after he was out of the game.
“Stuff-wise, the way the pitches were moving, I felt better,” Bundy said. “Command is still way off. I’ve got to get better in that aspect of the game. But the stuff was moving the way I want it to, so that’s a step in the direction I want to go.”
He still walked three and gave up four hits, requiring 81 pitches to get 12 outs. The Angels bailed him out with two double plays. In the second inning, second baseman Fletcher and shortstop José Iglesias collaborated on a double play that saw both players spin 360 degrees as they released throws.
“That should be shown for a while,” Maddon said. “That was more than unlikely. Unbelievable . ... That was one of the better double plays I’ve seen.”
Bundy was pulled after allowing a leadoff double in the fifth, and that runner was one of two who scored later in the inning on a single against Chris Rodriguez, who walked two of the first three hitters he faced.
Rodriguez has allowed runs in four of his five games since coming off the injured list.
“Not as sharp yet, obviously,” Maddon said. “The stuff, the numbers look good. From the side looks good. I don’t know that he’s putting the ball exactly where he wants to.”