ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani hit an RBI triple in his first regular-season game back at Angel Stadium, and he scored on Mookie Betts’ three-run homer in the 10th inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
Ohtani went 1 for 4 with his tying triple in the third inning after the two-way superstar received a warm welcome back to the stadium where he excelled for the Angels over the past six years. Ohtani won two AL MVP awards and a Rookie of the Year trophy while redefining what’s possible in modern baseball, but he couldn’t lead the long-struggling Halos to a winning season.
“The biggest part of all this is being able to play at this stadium in front of the Anaheim fans,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “That was the part that was special for me. … Most importantly, it’s about winning the game, and I’m glad we won.”
The Dodgers already led 3-2 in the 10th on Miguel Rojas’ RBI single before the Angels intentionally walked their former star slugger to get to Betts, who drove the next pitch from Roansy Contreras (2-4) over the fence in left.
“With Shohei doing what Shohei always does, I understand their perspective,” Betts said. “So I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit.”
Ron Washington was the first opposing manager to intentionally walk the batter in front of Betts, an eight-time All-Star and former AL MVP, since 2016.
“You’re picking poison when you deal with the first three hitters,” Washington said. “I wasn’t going to let Ohtani swing there, and I have all the respect in the world for Mookie Betts. I just was hoping Contreras could make a pitch and get us a ground ball.”
Ohtani and Betts, who drove in four runs, celebrated at home plate before the major league-leading Dodgers finished off their 12th win in 15 games.
“It was still a big hit, but when another manager walks the player in front of you, you take it personally,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I know Wash had nothing personal. It’s a fine baseball decision, but as a player, that’s what motivates you.”
Ohtani got more cheers than boos from a sellout crowd featuring thousands of blue-clad Dodgers fans when he stepped to the plate as the game’s first hitter. The Angels didn’t give him a major tribute, only posting a graphic with a list of his top accomplishments with the franchise he chose to be his first major league club in late 2017.
“Probably a little more enthusiasm than typical down here,” Dodgers starter Walker Buehler said of the sellout crowd. “We’re an hour away, but it’s a different situation for us.”
Michael Kopech (5-8) pitched the ninth for the Dodgers.
Logan O’Hoppe and Taylor Ward homered for the Angels, who couldn’t record three straight wins for the first time since July 24.
Angels reliever Ben Joyce ended the Dodgers’ ninth inning by striking out Tommy Edman with a 105.5-mph fastball. That’s the third-fastest pitch thrown in the majors during the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008.
Reid Detmers struck out 10 and yielded three hits over six innings. The left-hander was sharp in his first major league appearance since June 1 for the Angels, who demoted him to the minors after months of inconsistency.
Walker Buehler allowed five hits and two walks over five innings for the Dodgers, making a modest improvement on his past four starts as he attempts to lock down a spot in their postseason plans.
O’Hoppe hammered a 438-foot shot off Buehler in the second inning for his 18th homer, the most by an Angels catcher since 2008.
Ohtani’s drive in the third got lodged in the right-field corner, allowing Rojas to score from first. Ohtani then strolled home on Betts’ single over a drawn-in infield.
Ward tied it again when he put his 20th homer of the season into the short porch in right field in the fifth inning, extending his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games.
Ohtani came up with a runner on in the eighth, but José Quijada struck him out with a pair of high fastballs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched two solid innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City in his return from right triceps soreness. … Brusdar Graterol (hamstring) made his first rehab appearance since his injury, throwing 15 pitches for Oklahoma City.
Angels: Washington had no update on first-round pick Christian Moore, who left last Friday’s game at Double-A Rocket City with a leg injury.
UP NEXT
Griffin Canning (4-12, 5.19 ERA) takes the mound for the Angels in the series finale Wednesday night against Bobby Miller (2-3, 7.25 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
