Shohei Ohtani showed power at the plate and on the mound as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Cleveland Guardians 9-5 Wednesday night in a 25-hit slugfest.
Ohtani (2-2), making his fourth pitching start this year, survived a rough beginning to deliver the win, the Angels' fourth straight. The Angels moved into first place in the American League West, a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners.
The right-hander surrendered Jose Ramirez's two-run first-inning homer, but retired the last eight hitters he faced before departing after throwing 86 pitches in five innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
The 27-year-old Japanese went 3-for-5 with a run-scoring double and two singles as a designated hitter. It was his first three-hit game this season.
At Truist Park, Seiya Suzuki went 2-for-5 with an RBI as the visiting Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 in 10 innings.
At PNC Park, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
At Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Gosuke Katoh doubled for his first MLB hit on a 1-for-2 day. But his side went down 7-1 to the Boston Red Sox, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Hirokazu Sawamura worked a third of an inning for the Red Sox without allowing a run.
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