Baseball

Shohei Ohtani Hits 42nd Homer, trotted around the bases without his batting helmet: Angels Beat Rangers 2-0

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run off Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.

12:10 JST, August 17, 2023

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Angels left-hander Reid Detmers took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 42nd home run as Los Angeles beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday night.

The Rangers got their first hit when Marcus Semien lined a double into the left-center gap with one out in the eighth on the 108th and final pitch by Detmers (3-9).

Reynaldo Lopez and Carlos Estevez then finished off the Angels’ eighth shutout this season. Texas, which entered the game with .273 team batting average and an MLB-high 1,138 hits, was held scoreless for the ninth time.

Lopez issued an intentional walk to All-Star shortstop Corey Seager before Adolis Garcia, another All-Star, struck out and Nathaniel Lowe hit an inning-ending flyball. Estevez gave up back-to-back singles to open the ninth, but got his 26th save in 28 chances by striking out two of the last three batters.

Ohtani, the designated hitter whose turn in the starting rotation this week was skipped because of arm fatigue, went the opposite way for a 437-foot homer to left-center in the first inning off Jon Gray (8-6).

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.

Ohtani trotted around the bases without his batting helmet, which came off when he swung and connected. He later had two infield singles.

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe waits for the throw as Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani reaches for a single during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.

The 24-year-old Detmers had thrown a no-hitter as a rookie for the Angels last season against Tampa Bay. He was only the second Angels rookie to do so. That was the 12th, and still last, no-hitter in Angels franchise.

Detmers, who was 0-4 in his previous six starts, finished with five strikeouts and four walks. He threw 64 of his 108 pitches for strikes.

Gray struck out four and walked two while allowing one run over seven innings.