Shohei Ohtani powers Angels to 3-2 series final win over Yankees

New York Yankees 2, Los Angeles Angels 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani’s three-run homer in the sixth inning powered the LA Angels to a thrilling 3-2 series final win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.  For the first time ever, Ohtani hit 30 home runs and won 10 games as a pitcher in the same season in the major leagues. 

Ohtani’s homer came off in the sixth from Gerrit Cole‘s 97.9 mph fastball. With this home run, the Angels, who were held to two hits till then, broke through to have a lead. The current AL MVP homered three times in four games.

Against Aaron Judge and the Yankees, the Japan-born hitter went 5 for 12. His fantastic exploits included two homers and five RBIs. The New York’s start hitter was without a hit in two at-bats. However, Judge was able to walk twice after making 4 for 7 with two homers and four RBIs in the initial two games.

The Yankees started August with one of their best AL records to date. They were on the top of the league table and had an 11 1/2 lead in the East. However, the Yankees tottered with a 10-18 game score and lost 12 runs during the month. New York is six games ahead of Tampa Bay going into Friday’s first game of a three-game series with the Rays.

Cole, a Newport Beach native, had to contend with his first loss at Angel Stadium. It came after six career starts.

In the sixth, the right-hander couldn’t overcome two Yankees errors. David Fletcher singled and advanced when Josh Donaldson overthrew first. Mike Trout reached on Isiah Kiner-bobbled Falefa’s grounder.

Ohtani, who nearly hit a two-run homer in the first inning before Aaron Hicks snagged it, cleared the bases on a 2-0 count.

Cole pitched seven innings and gave up three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits. He struck out four batters.

Before the fifth inning, the Yankees only had one hit. Donaldson doubled after the ball hit Matt Duffy’s glove. Gleyber Torres’ double in right field scored Donaldson after a wild pitch.

Torres scored when Hicks hit a sacrifice fly that went to the deep left after going way up in the air.

UP NEXT

The Yankees will play the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. It will be the first of a three-game series at Tropicana Field. The lineup includes Domingo Germán, who has yielded three or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts (2-2, 3.19 ERA).

The contest for the next MVP has now boiled down to a tussle between Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. Who do you think will be the next MVP? Will Yankees’ Judge be able to challenge Ohtani? Leave your comment to let baseball fans know.