ANAHEIM — Two-way celebrity Shohei Ohtani continues to make historical past.
Ohtani stole his fifteenth base of the yr within the first inning of the Angels’ 8-3 loss to the Giants on Monday night time at Angel Stadium. He grew to become the primary participant to have not less than 40 homers and 15 stolen bases by way of his membership’s first 114 video games of a season.
The solely different participant with not less than 40 homers and 15 stolen bases by way of a membership’s first 120 video games was Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998, who reached these ranges in Seattle’s 117th recreation.
Ohtani went 2-for-4 with a double because the Angels took a one-run lead into the ninth inning, just for nearer Carlos Estévez to blow the save and permit 5 runs as a part of a six-run body for the Giants.
Estévez was an ideal 23-for-23 in save alternatives however has didn’t convert his previous two at a vital time, because the Angels have now misplaced seven straight. They fell to 56-58 and path the Blue Jays by eight video games for the ultimate AL Wild Card spot, as their postseason odds proceed to shrink.
“We just have to come back tomorrow and battle and fight,” Angels supervisor Phil Nevin mentioned. “I hold saying it. I hold seeing it. I do know the hassle is there.
“We’re playing hard and playing to win. It’s tough when you lose. To lose this many games in a row in the position we’re in, it hurts. But I know what they’re going to do tomorrow.”
Nevin mentioned he believes Estévez has been coping with some fatigue, however the right-hander mentioned he felt nice bodily and easily missed his pitch areas. He was annoyed together with his blown save however mentioned he has to stay optimistic.
“No one likes losing, but it’s a tough patch and we’re going to get through it,” Estévez mentioned. “We just have to keep our heads up.”
Ohtani, the overwhelming favourite to win the AL MVP Award for the second time in three seasons, hit his MLB-leading fortieth homer on Thursday in opposition to the Mariners. He additionally began on the mound that day however left after 4 scoreless innings due to cramping in his proper center finger.
Ohtani stays on observe to make his subsequent scheduled pitching begin on Thursday in opposition to San Francisco. The right-hander has made 21 begins, posting a 3.32 ERA with 160 strikeouts in 124 2/3 innings.
Ohtani is on tempo for 56 homers and 21 stolen bases. His career-high in homers is 46, and his profession greatest in stolen bases is 26. Both marks had been set throughout his MVP marketing campaign in 2021. The franchise file for homers in a season is 47 by Troy Glaus in 2000.
On Monday, Ohtani additionally reached on a hustle double to open the sixth inning and scored the tying run on a two-out RBI single by C.J. Cron. Cron then scored after a double from Randal Grichuk that featured two errors by the Giants.
The Angels, although, couldn’t maintain the lead. Lefty Patrick Sandoval went again out for the seventh inning however gave up a game-tying solo homer to J.D. Davis. It spoiled an in any other case sturdy outing from Sandoval, who struck out eight over 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on 5 hits.
“I think I’ve improved on what I was doing earlier this year, but this game was a tough pill to swallow,” Sandoval mentioned. “I’m not happy with myself allowing them to tie it after we took the lead. I feel like I have to make better pitches in those situations.”
But the Angels went again in entrance within the backside of the inning, because the Giants once more made a pricey defensive mistake. Grichuk hit a liner to proper area, however AJ Pollock misinterpret it and the ball went over his head for a triple. Luis Rengifo adopted with a go-ahead RBI single.
The Angels nearly misplaced that lead once more within the eighth, as reliever José Soriano gave up a deep drive to heart to Joc Pederson on a 3-1 fastball. Center fielder Mickey Moniak, nevertheless, made a leaping catch up in opposition to the wall to remove the potential game-tying homer.
The play ended up being overshadowed by San Francisco scoring six occasions within the ninth.
“In a spot like that, to be able to keep a one-run lead going into the ninth is the kind of stuff you do in the backyard as a kid,” Moniak mentioned. “We had a lot of energy going into that inning. But, unfortunately, we couldn’t pull this one out.”
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