Leadoff Sho: Ohtani swats thirty ninth HR in loss

ANAHEIM — When Angels supervisor Joe Maddon determined to run Shohei Ohtani up to the leadoff build, the hope became once to extinguish teams from pitching around the 2-contrivance extensive title.

On Saturday, that resolution paid early dividends as Ohtani led off the underside of the first inning with a homer to push his MLB-main full to 39 within the Halos’ 8-2 loss to the Astros at Angel Stadium.

In line with Maddon, hitting leadoff has helped Ohtani return to operate after a slack originate to the 2d half of of the season.

“I mean, at any time after we put somebody up there, they bring out successfully,” Maddon said. “He’s getting his stroke abet. You saw it. … He correct appears to be like to be like genuine, the ball’s going to left field all all over again on a line. He’s holding the overall plate. His route in his swing is greater. I mediate whatever it became once would possibly perhaps presumably moreover hang been a minute fatigue. I mediate he’s getting it abet genuine now. It appears to be like to be like surely genuine.”

On the third pitch of his first at-bat, Ohtani turned on a slider that Astros starter Luis Garcia placed on the lower-center share of the zone. It became once the 2d time Ohtani went deep in his first at-bat from the leadoff build — the opposite towards the Rays on June 25.

With the homer, Ohtani moved up in two Angels’ single-season ranks. He tied Reggie Jackson (1982) for the franchise file for most residence runs in a season by a left-handed batter. It became once moreover Ohtani’s 23rd at The Extensive A this year, which puts him one timid of Troy Glaus’ (2000) file.

Ohtani, who made his ninth originate within the leadoff build, carried out the sport 2-for-5. He drilled a 101.8 mph single within the third inning and stole his 17th notorious later within the physique. In his final at-bat of the sport, he scorched a 114.9 mph liner to left fielder Michael Brantley.

In 5 games since entering a leadoff role, Ohtani is 6-for-19 with two homers and 4 RBIs. Before the run, Ohtani became once batting correct .216 with four homers in 23 games after the All-Extensive title spoil.

Maddon said Ohtani’s original role would possibly perhaps presumably moreover reside titillating forward.

“Let’s look what occurs with it,” Maddon said. “Shohei is correct with it, obviously, because he’s surely attempting indulge in he had within the first half of.”

The Angels, nonetheless, would possibly perhaps presumably moreover no longer extinguish the long ball of their 2d straight loss to the Astros.

Starter Jaime Barria entered Saturday with a 2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings over his final three starts, but he became once knocked around for 3 runs on seven hits (one homer) and one stroll in three-plus innings.

“The sizable inequity became once [when] I gave up that gargantuan residence flee,” Barria said via an interpreter. “I couldn’t create adjustments on some of those pitches. I roughly correct left the ball available.”

Issues bought worse within the sixth, as Junior Guerra loaded the bases on two walks and a single earlier than surrendering a huge slam to Jake Meyers, his 2d homer of the sport. It became once the 2d night in a row the Angels served up a huge slam to Houston, and the third huge slam allowed within the Halos’ final four games.

“We hang now started successfully,” Maddon said. “The sport is a solid sport. We’re struggling with to hang in it, and, without notice, growth, there it goes. These are sharp. These are sharp to prefer in. … That center inning, we gotta extinguish. You want center-inning closers to be very a success.”