ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – Shohei Ohtani belted his 15th home run of the season on Saturday and drew a late-game intentional walk as the Baltimore Orioles played it safe to secure an 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani led off the third inning at Angel Stadium with a game-tying solo shot off Baltimore starter Aaron Brooks, and entered the box in the ninth ready to deliver with two outs and runners in scoring positions.
But with the home team down by only a run, Orioles closer Mychal Givens opted to load the bases and intentionally walk the Angels’ designated hitter before coaxing a full-count, game-ending pop out from Justin Upton.
The Angels fell behind for good in the back-and-forth contest on Hanser Alberto’s two-run single in the eighth before suffering a third straight loss.
The Orioles became the first team in major league history to record 10 straight multihomer games thanks to long balls from Pedro Severino and Jonathan Villar.
Ohtani is hitting .293 with 15 home runs, 42 RBIs and 72 hits in his second season in the majors as he continues to rehabilitate his throwing arm following Tommy John surgery last year.
Baltimore has won seven of its last 10 games after falling 38 games below .500 following a loss to the Washington Nationals on July 16.
With the win, the Orioles moved within a victory Sunday of posting a four-game sweep of the Angels. The Orioles have not swept a series this season.
“This is amazing,” Severino said. “There are a lot of young talented guys we have over here. We teach how to play baseball. Second half, they’ve looked much better than (the) first half. We’ll keep working and see what happens at the end of the year.”
Red Sox 9, Yankees 5
In Boston, J.D. Martinez and Andrew Benintendi homered as the Red Sox again hit balls all over and out of Fenway Park.
The Red Sox have outscored New York 38-13 to win the first three of a four-game set. This was the sixth straight game Boston has scored eight or more runs against the Yankees, the first time in the clubs’ 117-year rivalry.
Benintendi had three hits and scored three times, and Rafael Devers added three hits and scored twice for the the Red Sox.
Gio Urshela went 4 for 4 with a solo homer and RBI single for New York. The Yankees have lost three straight for the first time since June 11-14.
Blue Jays 10, Rays 9 ( 12)
In Toronto, Teoscar Hernandez led off the 12th inning with a home run and the Blue Jays completed a comeback from a seven-run deficit to beat Tampa Bay.
Hernandez connected off Emilio Pagan (2-2) for his second solo homer of the game. Hernandez also went back-to-back with Brandon Drury in the eighth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and Drury tied it with a two-out, solo drive as Toronto overcame a 9-2 deficit.
Daniel Hudson (6-2) worked one inning for the win.
Dodgers 9, Nationals 3
In Washington, rookie catcher Will Smith homered and drove in six runs, leading Clayton Kershaw and Los Angeles past the Nationals.
Playing in his 10th major league game, Smith homered in the third inning, hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth, doubled home a run in the sixth and broke the game open in the seventh with a bases-loaded double off the wall in left-center.
Kershaw (9-2) allowed two first-inning runs and gave up three hits while striking out nine with three walks through the sixth.
Yan Gomes homered for Washington, which has lost three straight.
Braves 15, Phillies 7
In Philadelphia, Ozzie Albies hit a grand slam, Ronald Acuna Jr., Ender Inciarte and Adam Duvall also homered and Atlanta routed the Phillies.
The Braves pounded struggling righty Zach Eflin (7-11) for 10 runs in less than three innings.
Max Fried (11-4) allowed four earned and seven hits, striking out six in 5⅓ innings in his first start since returning from the injury list because of a blister on his left index finger.
NL East-leading Atlanta has won two in a row after losing six of eight. They have a 6 ½-game lead over Washington.
In Other Games
Mariners 8, Tigers 1
Athletics 5, Rangers 4
Indians 9, Royals 1
White Sox 5, Twins 1
Astros 8, Cardinals 2
Diamondbacks 9, Marlins 2
Reds 3, Rockies 1
Mets 3, Pirates 0
Brewers 5, Cubs 3 (10)
Padres 5, Giants 1
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times