Logan O’Hoppe’s RBI single in the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie, and four Los Angeles Angels relievers combined for four scoreless innings on the way to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif.
On a team with Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Anthony Rendon and Hunter Renfroe, O’Hoppe leads the Angels with 11 RBIs. The rookie catcher also leads the club with four home runs.
Ohtani got the day off, his first of the season.
Griffin Canning made the start on the mound for the Angels, his first major league appearance since July 2, 2021, before a stress fracture of his lower back sidelined him. He got a no-decision but pitched well, giving up two runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter while throwing 69 pitches.
Reliever Matt Moore (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth to earn the win, and he was followed by Aaron Loup (seventh inning), Ryan Tepera (eighth) and Jose Quijada (ninth, second save).
Brett Phillips started the game in center field for Los Angeles in place of Trout, who got a partial day off as the designated hitter. Phillips went into the game with only one plate appearance (walk) all season but had an impact on Wednesday.
He led off the third inning with a walk against Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore, stole both second and third and scored on catcher Keibert Ruiz’s throwing error.
After the Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning. Gore nearly escaped, striking out Gio Urshela and O’Hoppe. But Phillips followed with a walk, driving in a run and tying the game at 2-2.
Phillips also robbed Ruiz of a home run with a leaping catch at the fence in left-center field in the sixth inning.
Nationals reliever Mason Thompson (0-1) gave up O’Hoppe’s game-winning single and took the loss.
–Field Level Media
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