Japanese two-way talent Shohei Ohtani won his major league pitching debut Sunday, throwing three-hit ball over six innings in the Los Angeles Angels' 7-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the finale of the season-opening four-game series.

Ohtani (1-0), who singled in his first career at-bat on Thursday, gave up a three-run homer to Matt Chapman in the second inning at Oakland Coliseum after yielding back-to-back singles to Matt Joyce and Stephen Piscotty.

But the 23-year-old former Nippon Ham Fighters star recovered quickly and struck out six of the 22 batters he faced while walking one, showing glimpses of his dual threat capabilities. He threw 92 pitches, 63 of them strikes.

"I felt nothing but enjoyment as I pitched," said Ohtani, who retired the side in order in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings.

"It reminded me of the time I played baseball for the first time. I started off the game really well," he said.

Angels teammate Andrelton Simmons went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead a 13-hit attack and capped a three-run seventh with a two-run single.

Athletics starter Daniel Gossett (0-1) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks over four innings in a loss.

In his perfect start at the plate on opening day, Ohtani went 1-for-5, batting eighth as the designated hitter.

Ohtani signed a minor league contract with the Angels in December after five seasons with the Fighters in Japan's Pacific League.

Despite sending the fans and media into a frenzy before he even arrived in the United States, the MLB rookie had a rugged spring training, giving up 19 runs in five games on the mound and batting .125 in 32 at-bats.

After Sunday's game, Ohtani said the anticipation of a long-awaited first season in the majors is greater than the sense of relief that he made it to the starting line.

"I just walked onto the mound thinking I want (the team) to win. It didn't matter that it was my first outing. I wanted for us to head into our next series by winning this game," Ohtani said.

"For me personally and for the team I think it's a good start. But just because it went well today doesn't mean the next will be the same. I have to work on what needs adjustments and make my next pitching better."

According to MLB.com, Ohtani is the first major league player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to start as a non-pitcher on opening day then start as a pitcher within his team's first 10 games.