Baseball

Ohtani Turns in Another Gem as Angels Blank Nationals 2-0

AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Anaheim, Calif., April 11, 2023.

13:46 JST, April 12, 2023

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani turned in another great pitching performance Tuesday night, allowing only one hit in seven innings as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Washington Nationals 2-0.

Rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season as the Angels snapped a two-game skid.

Ohtani (2-0) set an Angels record with his 10th straight start allowing two or fewer runs. Nolan Ryan had a nine-game streak across the 1972-73 seasons.

The Japanese two-way superstar walked four and struck out six. He has allowed only one run in his first three starts and has an 0.47 ERA.

According to Sportradar, Ohtani is the 14th major league pitcher since 1901 to pitch at least 19 innings through his first three starts, allow one earned run or fewer and strike out at least six in each outing.

AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (17) singles during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

Tyler Glasnow of the Tampa Bay Rays and Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres were the last to accomplish it.

The Nationals, who came into the game leading the National League with 103 hits, were held to one hit for the first time since July 23, 2020, against the New York Mets. They had 14 in Monday night’s 6-4 win.

Jose Quijada retired the Nats in the eighth and Carlos Estévez allowed a one-out walk in the ninth before retiring the next two hitters for his first save.

CJ Abrams was the only one to get a hit with a two-out double to right in the fourth inning. That put runners on second and third after Keibert Ruiz drew a walk earlier in the inning, but Michael Chavis grounded out to shortstop Gio Urshela to end the inning.

The Angels would break through for a run in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor Ward and Mike Trout were each hit by pitches by Josiah Gray (0-3) before Ohtani loaded the bases with a bloop single to left. Ward scored on Anthony Rendon’s sacrifice fly to right.

O’Hoppe connected on Gray’s cutter that was slightly elevated but down the middle for a solo shot to left to extend the Angels’ lead to 2-0.

Gray went 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits.