Ohtani Fans 10 In 2nd Victory, Angels Hold Off Mariners 3-2

ANAHEIM (AP) — Shohei Ohtani pitched six innings of four-hit ball with a season high-tying 10 strikeouts, and José Rojas hit the go-ahead homer in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Justin Upton hit a two-run homer for the Angels, and closer Raisel Iglesias escaped a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the eighth inning before finishing off the second win of the season for Ohtani, the Halos' two-way star.

Aside from allowing three extra-base hits leading to two runs, Ohtani (2-1) looked sharp in his eighth mound start this season. Facing Seattle on the mound for the first time since his AL Rookie of the Year season in 2018, Ohtani didn't walk anyone for the first time in his 20 career major league appearances, and he retired eight of his final nine batters before being pulled after just 76 pitches.

Ohtani also went 0 for 2 with a walk in the No. 2 spot in the Angels' lineup while hitting for himself in an AL game for the fifth time this season.

J.P. Crawford hit a leadoff homer and drove in both runs for the Mariners, who lost to the Angels for only the second time in five meetings this season.

Iglesias came through superbly in the eighth after teammate Mike Mayers allowed three runners on six pitches. After the Angels' new closer got a foul pop and two strikeouts against the Mariners' 2-3-4 batters, he pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Robert Dugger pitched 2 1/3 innings to start a solid bullpen game for Seattle. Former Angels pitcher Hector Santiago (0-1) gave up Rojas' third homer of his rookie season in the fourth.

Ohtani got off to a rough start when Crawford, who grew up in nearby Long Beach and went to high school 18 miles from Angel Stadium, connected on a low fastball for his first career leadoff homer.

Ohtani retired his next six batters, but Taylor Trammell hit a leadoff double in the third and scored on Crawford's sacrifice line drive to right.

Upton tied it with his 12th homer of the season in the third, matching his total from the 2019 season in 15 fewer games.

Upton also homered in his second straight game and in his fourth straight game overall at Angel Stadium, a mark surpassed among Angels only by Bobby Bonds, who homered in five consecutive games in Anaheim in 1977.

PRIMO PLAY

The Mariners barely kept it a 3-2 game in the seventh. Juan Lagares tried to score from third when Will Vest's pitch got away from Tom Murphy, but Murphy threw to a sprinting Vest, who made a diving tag on Lagares' hip as he slid headfirst.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: Dugger and the bullpen filled in for Justin Dunn, who went on the injured list Wednesday with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. ... Seattle addressed its organizational pitching depth by acquiring RHP Yacksel Ríos from Tampa Bay for cash. Ríos had an 0.66 ERA at Triple-A Durham.

Angels: LHP José Quintana is playing catch at 90 feet after going on the injured list Monday with left shoulder inflammation.

UP NEXT

Yusei Kikuchi (3-3, 3.88) starts for Seattle on the heels of two straight victories and six consecutive quality starts. He faces Los Angeles' improving Alex Cobb (3-2, 3.78 ERA), who threw seven scoreless innings to beat Oakland in his last start.

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