ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani left the mound after solely 4 scoreless innings because of cramping in his pitching hand and fingers, however then hit his main league-leading fortieth homer earlier than his Los Angeles Angels blew a two-run lead within the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night time.
Ohtani mentioned he wasn’t certain whether or not the cramping, which was largely in his proper center finger, would drive him to overlook a mound begin. Ohtani additionally had issues with cramps in the course of the Angels’ just-completed journey, leaving consecutive video games early with lower-body cramping.
“It’s not just my finger,” Ohtani mentioned by means of his translator. “I’ve been kind of getting cramps all over the place. I felt like maybe I could have gone another inning or two, but I’m trying to feel out how my hand feels, and it’s a 0-0 game. I couldn’t give up any runs, and I felt like it was better for the team to stop pitching there.”
Rookie Cade Marlowe hit his first profession grand slam within the ninth for the Mariners, who rallied from a two-run deficit towards All-Star nearer Carlos Estévez (5-2) to steal the win. In his twelfth main league recreation, Marlowe obtained round on a excessive 99.8-mph fastball in an 0-2 depend.
“I was just thinking about getting on top of something, hitting a hard line drive,” Marlowe mentioned. “Swung through the first two at the top, and finally got on top of one, the last one.”
Ohtani drilled a 107-mph line drive off Isaiah Campbell (2-0) into the stands in proper at Angel Stadium within the eighth inning, securing his second profession 40-homer season with the solo shot. Ohtani reached base 4 instances and scored the tying run within the sixth for the Angels (57-53), who opened a seven-game homestand with their fifth loss in seven video games regardless of their two-way celebrity’s newest outstanding effort.
“I wish I could have gone close to 100 pitches and save the bullpen, help them out,” mentioned Ohtani, who joined Mike Trout and Troy Glaus as the one gamers in Angels historical past with a number of 40-homer seasons. “But a loss is a loss. It happens. Just got to turn the page.”
The Angels had been two outs from a win earlier than Marlowe hit his staff’s first grand slam within the ninth inning or later whereas Seattle was trailing since Richie Sexson did it Sept. 19, 2005, at Toronto.
“He’s an awesome competitor,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais mentioned. “He’s not overthinking it. Just playing baseball. … That was some kind of swing. It’s 100 miles an hour at the top of the zone. As a young player, you’re just trying to get the bat there.”
Estévez walked two and gave up a single earlier than Marlowe’s blast in his first blown save for the Angels in 24 alternatives this season.
“He’s the first guy that hits a fastball outside of the strike zone against me (this season), and what a time to do it,” Estévez mentioned. “No one thinks I was going to be perfect for the rest of my career. Come on. But it’s just a game. It is important, and it is tough, but we’ve got a lot more games to go.”
Eugenio Suárez additionally homered for the Mariners, who’ve received seven of 9 to maneuver 1 1/2 video games forward of the Angels within the AL wild-card race. Suárez tied a Mariners franchise document with an RBI in his ninth consecutive recreation.
Ohtani threw solely 59 pitches in his shortest begin not attributable to a rain delay in almost a full 12 months. He struck out 4 and allowed solely three tender singles in his first begin since throwing a one-hit shutout in Detroit for his first main league full recreation final week.
Ohtani mentioned he took just a few follow swings to ensure he may proceed hitting along with his cramping hand, and he tied it within the sixth by drawing his second stroll, stealing second and scoring on C.J. Cron’s single. Mike Moustakas then drove in Cron with an extended double off Seattle rookie Bryan Woo, who allowed 4 hits and struck out six.
Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
Cron’s single prolonged his hitting streak to a career-best 13 video games in his Anaheim homecoming recreation. He rejoined the Angels final week in a commerce after spending his first 4 main league seasons with the Angels.
Cron was acquired from Colorado together with Randal Grichuk, who went 0 for 4 in his Angels dwelling debut 14 years after the staff drafted him within the first spherical, one decide forward of Mike Trout.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Trout is almost prepared to start hitting a ball, supervisor Phil Nevin mentioned. The three-time AL MVP has already taken dry swings in his return from a damaged hand that has sidelined him since July 3. He is anticipated to return shortly after he faces reside pitching. … 2B Brandon Drury desires at the very least two extra video games at Triple-A Salt Lake earlier than he returns from the left shoulder damage that has saved him out since June 29.
UP NEXT
Reid Detmers (2-8, 4.35 ERA) seems to be to stay unbeaten in his profession towards the Mariners when he leads the Angels towards Luis Castillo (7-7, 2.88) within the second recreation of the collection.
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