Ohtani has 3 hits, Moniak hits winning homer as Angels top Mariners 5-4
Shohei Ohtani homered and had three hits, but did not factor in the decision after allowing three runs in five innings, Mickey Moniak hit the go-ahead, two-run homer and the Los Angeles Angels extended their winning streak to five with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
It was the seventh time, and second this season, the Japanese two-way superstar has homered in a game where he also pitched. Ohtani has also hit safely in the past six games and is 11 for 24 during that stretch.
Two of Moniak's five homers this season have ended up being the game-winning hit. This one came on a fastball from Luis Castillo (4-4) with two out in the sixth inning. Anthony Rendon got aboard when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Jacob Webb (1-0) got the win and Carlos Estévez picked up his 17th save.
Jarred Kelenic and Mike Ford homered for the Mariners, who have dropped five of their last six.
Seattle got to 5-4 in the ninth when Ford hit a solo shot to right to lead off the ninth. Ford was 1 for 13 before that homer. Jose Caballero drew a walk and stole second. Estévez though retired the next three hitters with Mike Trout making a running catch on Ty France's line drive into the right-center field gap to end the game.
Two of the three hits Ohtani allowed resulted in runs. Jarred Kelenic had a two-run homer in the first and France's base hit made it 3-all in the fifth.
Ohtani struggled in the first. He walked J.P. Crawford, the sixth time in 13 starts this season he has issued a free pass to the leadoff hitter, before Kelenic followed three batters later with a two-run shot to right-center on a sweeper pitch that didn't break and was low in the strike zone.
Ohtani walked the next two batters before he struck out Eugenio Suárez to end the inning. The 31 pitches he threw in the first were the second-most he has thrown in the opening frame in 76 big-league starts.
Ohtani's two-run drive to center on an elevated changeup by Castillo in the third inning tied the game. The Angels grabbed a 3-2 advantage in the fourth on Luis Rengifo's RBI base hit.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Penn Murfee was reinstated off the injured list after missing 29 games due to right elbow inflammation. RHP Matt Festa was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
Angels: RHP Ben Joyce left during the sixth inning due to right hand irritation. ... IF Gio Urshela was scratched from the lineup due to a lower back tightness.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Bryan Woo (0-1, 27.00 ERA) will make his second major league start.
Angels: LHP Patrick Sandoval (3-5, 4.14 ERA) is 0-3 in seven starts against Seattle.