*Photo from the Orange County Register*
We got to see the first regular season dose of Shohei Ohtani pitching and hitting in the same game. Aside from a rocky 5th inning, it did not disappoint. Ohtani homered and struck out 7, Jared Walsh hit the walk off homer, and the Los Angeles Angels topped the Chicago White Sox with a 7-4 win Sunday night, in an incredible game to watch.
Ohtani started the scoring in the first inning with a long solo homer to make it 1-0 Angels. Later in the first, it became 2-0 on a sac fly by Justin Upton that scored Mike Trout. In the 4th, David Fletcher hit an RBI single to make it 3-0 Angels. In the 5th, the White Sox scored 3 runs on two wild pitches and a throwing error to make it 3-3. In the bottom of the 5th, Walsh homered to make it 4-3 Angels. In the 9th, Nick Madrigal scored on a throwing error to tie it at 4. In the bottom of the 9th, Walsh ended it with a walk off 3 run homer.
Angels manager Joe Maddon said of Ohtani's night that "What he did tonight was pretty special. You're going to see a lot more of that season-in-progress. It was fun to watch and had everybody entertained. It's what he signed up to do and he had a chance to do it tonight. It was everything we thought he could be. That's a complete baseball player. He throws 100, hits well over 100 mph and hits it well over 400 feet. That's what we're talking about. He just needed the opportunity to do it."
Ohtani pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Angels, getting a no decision. Ohtani gave up 3 runs, only one being an earned run, on two hits and 5 walks, striking out 7 hitters. Raisel Iglesias got the win for the Angels after blowing the save in the 9th inning. Steve Cishek pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of Ohtani, and Aaron Slegers also worked 1 1/3 innings.
Ohtani himself said of his two way duty in the same game that "I’m glad I got this game under my belt. It will lead to more confidence. There's a huge difference with the fans, it helps me concentrate at the plate and on the mound. I feel like I get that extra push and that extra gear."
Jose Ruiz got the loss for the White Sox, being responsible for the first runner that crossed the plate after Walsh hit the walk off homer, even though Matt Foster was the one on the mound at the time. Dylan Cease got the start for the White Sox, working 4 2/3 innings in a no decision, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3 hitters. Codi Heuer worked 1 1/3 innings in relief of Cease, and Aaron Bummer also pitched, working one inning.
White Sox manager Tony La Russa said after the loss that "I just told them upstairs, this is one of the most impressive losses that I can remember being a part of. You look at all the stuff that went on in that game. I’m not going to say hero, I reserve that for the veterans, but the courageous stuff, the way Dylan battled, you can go on and on."
The Angels host the Houston Astros tonight for the start of their next series, with Jose Quintana getting the start for the Angels. The White Sox travel north to face the Mariners tonight, with Carlos Rodon starting.
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