Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 over seven innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Ohtani (3-0) threw 102 pitches, walked two and gave up two hits — a leadoff single by Edward Olivares in the third inning and a one-out single by Vinnie Pasquantino in the fourth. He lowered his ERA to 0.64.
The Angels didn’t muster much offense against four Kansas City pitchers, totaling six hits. However, one of those hits was a two-run homer by catcher Chad Wallach in the third inning off Royals reliever Ryan Yarbrough (0-2).
Wallach, the son of former major leaguer Tim Wallach, was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake before the game to replace the injured Logan O’Hoppe. Ohtani also had a hit, a single in the eighth inning, going 1-for-4.
Ohtani struck out the side in the first inning, and he finished his outing on quite a roll. After he walked Nicky Lopez to lead off the sixth inning, Ohtani struck out the next six hitters he faced.
The Royals produced their biggest threat against Ohtani in the fourth inning when they had runners on first and second with one out after a walk by MJ Melendez and the single by Pasquantino. Ohtani, though, got Salvador Perez to ground into an inning-ending double play, one of two double plays the Angels infield turned behind Ohtani.
Ohtani extended a streak to 76 innings in which he hasn’t allowed a home run, going back to last Aug. 21, the longest active streak in the majors.
Two Angels relievers finished off the shutout, as Carlos Estevez delivered a perfect eighth inning and from Jose Quijada logged his fourth save thanks to a scoreless ninth.
Angels star Mike Trout got the night off, with Luis Rengifo starting in center field and going 1-for-3.
–Field Level Media
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