Shohei Ohtani Ties Score with 35th Homer, Angels Beat Yankees 4-3 in 10 Innings

AP

15:24 JST, July 18, 2023

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani tied the score in the seventh inning with his major league-leading 35th home run and pinch-hitter Michael Stefanic had a game-ending single in the 10th to give the Los Angeles Angels a 4-3 win over the New York Yankees on Monday night.

Los Angeles trailed 3-1 when Ohtani hit a two-run drive off Michael King, then made a demonstrative flip of his bat. Ohtani has homered in three straight games for the third time and surpassed his home run total last year. He has 19 homers in his last 31 games.

Ohtani had three hits and increased his average to .306. He struck out in the ninth against Nick Ramirez (0-2), winced and grabbed at his back.

With Chad Wallace on second as the automatic runner in the 10th, Stefanic hit a changeup from Ramirez into left field to give the Angels their fourth walk-off win.

The Yankees have lost seven of nine games, including three of four since the All-Star break, and dropped into sole possession of last place in the AL East. New York (50-45) is 15-20 since Aaron Judge got hurt on June 3.

Aaron Loup (1-2) struck out two in a hitless 10th for his first win in 1 1/2 seasons with the Angels after seven losses.

Matt Thaiss also homered for the Angels, then was ejected by plate umpire John Tumpane after taking a called third strike in the ninth, which caused him to throw his helmet and bat.

Angels’ starter Griffin Canning was at 101 pitches after five innings, but manager Phil Nevin let his right-hander go out for one more frame. Canning struck out Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo. Harrison Bader and Anthony Volpe followed with hits, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa drew a walk to load the bases and end Canning’s night.

Oswaldo Cabrera then put the Yankees ahead 2-0 with a two-run, ground-rule double off Jimmy Herget that bounced on the warning track and over the wall in left-center.

Thaiss hit a solo homer in the sixth, but Oswald Peraza scored in the seventh on Torres’ sacrifice fly.

Volpe struck out four times and is in a 2-for-31 slide.

SECOND GUESSING

Neto tried to score from first in the third inning, but was thrown out easily at home. Center fielder Harrison Bader played the bounce from Ohtani’s double off the wall in left-center field and made a great throw to Volpe, who relayed to catcher Jose Trevino. Neto made an awkward slide into home and had a face-first collision with Trevino’s helmet.