ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run homer on the first pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Texas Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 6-5 victory Wednesday night.
The Angels tied it at 4 on Jared Walsh's second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the ninth inning. They went ahead in the top of the 10th on a fielder's choice grounder by Mike Trout, who homered earlier in the game.
Jonah Heim had three hits and drove in two runs against against Angels starter Shohei Ohtani, but the Rangers’ switch-hitting catcher struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth against just-in Raisel Iglesias (1-2), who then gave up in the homer to Lowe in the 10th.
Brad Miller and Kole Calhoun homered for Texas, which matched its season high with its fourth win in a row while the Angels have their first three-game losing streak this year. Miller made it 3-2 with his solo shot in the seventh and Calhoun led off the eighth with his fourth homer in four games, and fifth overall.
Heim also wasn’t able to handle the low throw from third baseman Andy Ibanez after Trout’s grounder in the 10th with Andrew Velazquez charging home from third. Velazquez started the inning on second and went to third on a single by Taylor Ward, now the big league’s top hitter with a .375 batting average.
It was the second game in a row for Lowe to have the go-ahead RBI, which followed a streak of 19 games in a row without driving in a run. It was his second homer of the season.
Dennis Santana (2-1), who allowed the unearned run in the 10th, was the fifth Texas pitcher.
Texas had loaded the bases against Jose Suarez on consecutive one-out singles by Marcus Semien and Corey Seager before a two-out walk to Calhoun. When manager Joe Maddon got on the mound to make a pitching change, he was ejected after words with home plate umpire CB Bucknor.
Heim hit a grand slam off Ohtani the last time the two-way star pitched in Texas on April 14 and gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings. This time, Heim had an RBI single in the fourth, and his RBI double in the sixth tied it at 2.
Ohtani struck out seven and walked two while allowing two runs and six hits over six innings. The right-hander also threw two wild pitches, but he still hasn't lost in his five starts.
When Ohtani lost at Texas a week into the season, he was 0-2 through his first two starts after going 9-2 in 23 starts last season. He is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA since, even with consecutive no-decisions.
Trout led off the fourth with his 11th homer, a line drive into the left-field seats that was almost identical to his homer the previous night, for a 2-0 lead. He leads the AL with 32 runs scored this season and has 999 in his career.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Maddon said INF Matt Duffy's left hand was sore after he was knocked down while playing first base in a collision with Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia in Tuesday's game. Duffy also had a cut under his eye from getting hit by the thrown ball on the play. “He looks worse than he actually is,” Maddon said. Duffy entered Wednesday as a pinch-hitter and grounded out.
UP NEXT
Angels: There is an off day Thursday before opening an nine-game homestand. Oakland visits this weekend, then the Angels have another off day Monday before hosting the Rangers next week.
Rangers: After going 6-3 on their homestand, Texas opens a four-game series Thursday night at Houston. That will wrap up a stretch of 16 games in 15 days since consecutive rainouts in New York against the Yankees.
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