Field Level Media
Jun 7, 2018
Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton hit home runs, and the Los Angeles Angels survived the early departure of starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani in a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Ohtani gave up one run on four hits and three walks while making 63 pitches in four innings, but catcher Martin Maldonado signaled to the Angels bench to check on Ohtani while the right-hander was warming up for the fifth inning.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a trainer and Ohtani's interpreter visited the mound before Scioscia pulled Ohtani from the game due to a blister on his right middle finger. It was not the first time this season Ohtani was forced out of a game early because of a blister on the same finger -- he left the April 17 contest vs. the Boston Red Sox after two innings.
Ohtani also dealt with blister issues while pitching in Japan.
The Angels had to go to their bullpen a little early, but the relief corps was rested because of Andrew Heaney's complete game on Tuesday. Jim Johnson (fifth inning), Cam Bedrosian (sixth) and Jose Alvarez (seventh) each pitched a scoreless inning, the Angels taking a 4-1 lead into the eighth.
However, Justin Anderson gave up a two-out, two-run single to Alex Gordon in the eighth, the Royals cutting their deficit to one.
Blake Parker replaced Anderson to get the final out in the eighth, then threw a scoreless ninth for his fifth save. Bedrosian (3-1) got the win.
The Royals scored their only run off Ohtani in the fourth inning after Mike Moustakas led off with a single. Two outs later, Moustakas took second on a passed ball by Maldonado and then scored on a single by Gordon.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy held the Angels scoreless until the fifth, when Kinsler doubled and scored on a double by Zack Cozart. Kennedy was finished after five, having allowed one run on seven hits and three walks while striking out five.
The Angels took a 3-1 lead in the sixth on a two-run homer by Kinsler, then increased the lead to 4-1 on Upton's homer in the seventh. Both home runs came against Royals reliever Scott Barlow (1-1).
--Field Level Media