Ohtani Homers Again As Surging Angels Beat Twins
ANAHEIM (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his fifth homer and added an RBI double, and Ian Kinsler had a two-run homer among his three hits in the Los Angeles Angels' seventh win in nine games, 7-4 over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
Justin Upton also homered in his third straight game and Kole Calhoun drove in the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning as the Angels snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak.
Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning before Max Kepler followed with a tying solo shot for the Twins, but the Angels reclaimed the lead moments later and eventually ended Minnesota's longest streak of the season.
Ohtani's first homer of May went 413 feet to the fake rock pile beyond left-center field at the Big A in the seventh inning. The two-way rookie sensation also drove in Albert Pujols in the third for his first multi-RBI game since April 12.
Andrelton Simmons had three hits for the Angels, and Garrett Richards pitched five-hit ball into the sixth inning.
After Kinsler hit his first homer since April 12 in the second inning, Upton added a solo shot in the third, giving him four homers in five games. Pujols and Ohtani followed with back-to-back doubles for a 4-0 lead.
Richards yielded just two singles in the first five innings but abruptly gave back most of the Angels' lead with two singles followed by Dozier's homer in the sixth. Dozier's sixth homer of the season chased Richards, and Kepler promptly tied it with a solo homer off reliever Jose Alvarez (2-0).
Los Angeles answered with a rally that began with Simmons' single off Jose Berrios (3-4), who yielded seven hits and five runs.
Calhoun drove in the go-ahead run with a line-drive sacrifice fly to the wall that should help the veteran outfielder, who came to the plate mired in a 5-for-61 slump.
Martin Maldonado made it 6-4 with a long RBI double moments later.
Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his first save.
SHOTIME RETURNS
Ohtani made his first start as a designated hitter since last Friday. He was limited to two at-bats in the Angels' previous four games because of his latest pitching start and two interleague games in Colorado. He'll pitch against touted Twins rookie Fernando Romero on Sunday.
BIG AL
Pujols was honored briefly in the first inning for getting his 3,000th hit last Friday in Seattle. His 3,005th career hit in the third inning gave him a seven-game hitting streak. He also flawlessly turned a key 3-6-3 double play at first base to end the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: CF Byron Buxton was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list, and he went 0 for 2 with a walk while batting ninth. Buxton was out with migraines and a subsequent broken toe after fouling a ball off his foot during a rehab assignment.
Angels: Reliever Keynan Middleton returned from the disabled list after missing 10 days with right elbow inflammation. He yielded two walks and a double while pitching a scoreless eighth. ... RHP Matt Shoemaker isn't making progress in his return from a forearm strain, manager Mike Scioscia said. His throwing program has been shut down. He made only one start this season before his latest injury problem.
UP NEXT
Twins: Lance Lynn (1-3, 7.28 ERA) is coming off his first victory in a rough season. He hasn't faced Los Angeles since July 2013, and he has never beaten an AL West team.
Angels: Tyler Skaggs (3-2, 3.08 ERA) makes his first career appearance against Minnesota. He has allowed more than two runs just once in seven starts this season.
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)