ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe homered and tripled, and Corey Seager had an RBI double among his three hits off Shohei Ohtani in the Texas Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
Ohtani (9-6) racked up 11 strikeouts in his sixth consecutive start with double-digit whiffs, but he also yielded eight hits and two runs over six innings. The AL MVP lost his second straight start while pitching with a chance for his career-best 10th mound victory.
Ohtani leads the majors with nine double-digit strikeout performances, and he pitched six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in Atlanta last week before the Braves tagged him for six runs in the seventh. The Angels scored no runs while Ohtani was pitching in either of those two starts, and Ohtani went 0 for 4 as their leadoff hitter against Texas.
Seager left with a bruise on his lower right leg during the sixth inning, interrupting an impressive night for the three-time All-Star. Seager fouled a ball off his leg in the fifth, but delivered his run-scoring double moments later.
Spencer Howard (2-2) pitched five innings of three-hit ball for the Rangers, who snapped a three-game skid while opening the final series on their 11-game trip. Although Howard gave up three extra-base hits, the Angels didn't advance those runners and didn't get another baserunner against him.
Matt Moore, who could be on the move ahead of next week's trade deadline, pitched the ninth for his second save, completing a five-hitter. The Angels were shut out for the 10th time this season.
Luis Rengifo tripled, doubled and singled for the Halos, who failed to win three straight games for the first time since June 19. Los Angeles has lost 16 of 21 during its freefall from playoff contention.
Rangers catcher Jonah Heim improved to 6 for 6 against Ohtani this season with one of Texas' three singles to begin the first inning, but Ohtani escaped the bases-loaded jam with three straight strikeouts.
Lowe's 15th homer of the season leading off the fourth was the second of his career off Ohtani, who again struck out Texas' next three hitters. The homer also ended the Angels' run of 21 consecutive scoreless innings from their last series at Kansas City.
Relying heavily on his slider and using his fastball sparingly, Ohtani had just one 1-2-3 inning against the Rangers. Lowe led off the sixth with a triple, but Ohtani retired his final three batters.
FLETCH LIVES
David Fletcher went 1 for 3 in his first game since May 7 for the Angels, doubling on the first pitch he saw in his return from hip surgery.
THE OHTANI EXPRESS
Ohtani is the second Angels pitcher ever to record six straight 10-strikeout starts. Nolan Ryan did it in a record seven straight starts in 1977, and he had a six-game streak spanning 1972-73.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Joe Barlow threw a live batting practice session. He has been out since July 13 with a right index finger blister. He could go on a rehab assignment this weekend, as could infielder Brad Miller (neck).
Angels: Fletcher's absence forced them to use middle infielders who struggled to hit big league pitching. With Fletcher's return, the Angels sent rookie 2B Michael Stefanic back to Triple-A Salt Lake after he batted .167 in 16 games.
UP NEXT
Patrick Sandoval (3-6, 3.64 ERA) looks to end a hard-luck losing streak at four starts when he takes the mound for Los Angeles. He faces Martín Pérez (8-2, 2.59 ERA), who is 8-0 over his last 14 starts for Texas.
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