Shohei Ohtani pitches well but Angels lose in final home game of the season

ANAHEIM — Shohei Ohtani unleashed a 99.2 mph fastball and pumped his fist arsenic Jake Bauers tipped the transportation into the catcher’s mitt for a strikeout.

Ohtani past strutted disconnected the mound with different beardown 7 innings successful the book, stepping into the Angels dugout arsenic helium was greeted with a little lasting ovation.

While determination was inactive a crippled near to beryllium determined — 1 that the Angels mislaid 5-1 to the Seattle Mariners connected Sunday aft the bullpen gave up 4 runs successful the eighth — determination was thing near to spot successful the communicative that had truthful captivated Angels fans passim 2021.

Ohtani’s singular play arsenic baseball’s lone two-way prima came to its’ Angel Stadium adjacent with a 10-strikeout, zero-walk performance. Ohtani gave up lone 1 run, connected a seventh-inning homer by Jarred Kelenic, and helium near the crippled successful a 1-1 tie.

It’s unclear if that was Ohtani’s last commencement of the season, oregon conscionable his last location start. He could commencement the play finale adjacent Sunday successful Seattle if helium feels beardown and wants to transportation again. The Angels could besides determine that he’s done much than capable and fto him caput into the wintertime with this arsenic the play connected his twelvemonth arsenic a pitcher.

Ohtani started 23 games, posting a 9-2 grounds and a 3.18 ERA. In 130-1/3 innings, Ohtani struck retired 156 and walked 44. He became the archetypal Angels pitcher to scope 150 strikeouts since Andrew Heaney successful 2018.

His outing connected Sunday was his eighth of the play without a walk, which is simply a melodramatic turnaround from the 19 walks helium issued successful 18-2/3 innings successful his archetypal 4 starts.

Pitching amid “MVP” chants passim the afternoon, Ohtani lone had 2 choky spots successful this game.

Ohtani gave up a azygous to Mariners leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford astatine the extremity of a 10-pitch duel to commencement the game, but past helium retired the adjacent 12 successful a row.

With runners astatine archetypal and 2nd and 1 retired successful the fifth, Ohtani got Tom Murphy and Bauers connected alert balls to near field. In the sixth, Ohtani deed Ty France with a 1-and-2 transportation and past gave up a azygous to Kyle Seager. He struck retired Mitch Haniger and got Abraham Toro connected a flyout to flight the jam connected his 98th pitch.

At that constituent Ohtani had a 1-0 pb and it looked similar his time whitethorn beryllium over, but Manager Joe Maddon sent him backmost for 1 much inning.

Ohtani gave up a the homer to Kelenic connected a hanging slider, past helium retired the adjacent 2 to decorativeness his time connected a precocious note.

Unfortunately for the Angels, they couldn’t bash the same.

Relievers José Quijada and Austin Warren combined to springiness up 4 runs successful the eighth, breaking unfastened the game.

The nonaccomplishment besides guaranteed the Angels their sixth consecutive losing season, which is the franchise’s longest specified streak since a tally of 7 consecutive losing seasons from 1971-77.

Four of those losing seasons person been with Ohtani connected the roster.

“It’s precise frustrating,” Ohtani said. “It’s precise disappointing. I ever look guardant to being successful the playoff contention astatine the end. I person talked astir the playoff contention with my teammates.”

The Angels person Ohtani nether power for 2 much years earlier he’s eligible for escaped agency. While helium seems to beryllium contented with galore aspects of his clip with the Angels, the results surely haven’t been pleasant.

“I truly similar the team,” helium said. “I emotion the fans. I emotion the ambiance of the team, but much than that I privation to win. That’s the biggest happening for me.”

More to travel connected this story.