On a steamy day that proved too daunting for Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs
Adidas David Pastrnak Jersey , 38-year-old Albert Pujols coolly delivered the game’s pivotal hit.
Pujols’ RBI double highlighted a five-run eighth inning, and Los Angeles beat the Orioles 6-2 Saturday to extend Baltimore’s latest losing streak to seven games.
Gametime temperature was 93, and the humidity was unforgiving. Sweating profusely, Skaggs asked out after using 79 pitches to get through five innings.
”It’s definitely one of the hottest games I’ve thrown in a long time,” Skaggs said. ”I was just tired. I told (manager Mike Scioscia) I rarely come out and say this, but I’m exhausted.”
Skaggs added: ”I probably could have gone another inning, but there was no point. My team picked me up.”
Playing their 3,000th game under Scioscia, the Angels trailed 2-1 before using three hits, three walks and a hit batter to take control against the free-falling Orioles.
After Mychal Givens (0-6) issued a pair of one-out walks, Pujols tied it with his 632nd career double , a drive that handcuffed right fielder Danny Valencia. The hit tied David Ortiz for 10th place on the all-time list – and tied the game.
An intentional walk followed, and the go-ahead run scored when Chris Young hit into a force play at third base. Tanner Scott hit Martin Maldonado with a pitch to force in a run, and David Fletcher capped the uprising with a two-run single.
”It was good clutch-hitting that inning,” Scioscia said. ”I think the biggest hit there was Albert.”
The Angels lost six straight before coming to Baltimore, and now they appear to have their mojo back.
”Whenever you can grind out runs late in the game to come back and win, it’s exciting,” Fletcher said. ”It’s definitely something to give us confidence.”
Justin Anderson (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings to earn the win.
The Orioles’ shoddy play in the eighth inning explains why Baltimore owns the worst record in the majors. Baltimore has five losing streaks of at least six games, is 0-15 against the AL West and has lost 17 of 18 at home.
Afterward, manager Buck Showalter was straining to find the positive aspect of another dreadful defeat.
”When you only score two runs – again – you’re going to have to pitch real well, which we really did for seven innings,” he said. ”So, I’ll take that out of it.”
Baltimore’s Andrew Cashner threw 105 pitches. He gave up one run in six innings and left with the lead, but now has gone six straight starts without a victory.
”To say I’m not frustrated, I’d be lying, but for me, wins and losses are out of my control,” the right-hander said.
MILESTONE
Scioscia is the sixth manager in major league history to manage 3,000 games with one team.
”You don’t think about it,” Scioscia said about his longevity. ”It’s 3,000, one game at a time.”
TAKE A SEAT
Struggling Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop (.197) was given the day off, and will likely be rested Sunday before Monday’s off day. Showalter said he wanted the 2017 All-Star to ”reset.”
TRAINING ROOM
Angels: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani, who has a Grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow, batted in a simulated game Saturday and did not experience any setbacks, Scioscia said. The team hopes Ohtani can avoid Tommy John surgery. . LHP John Lamb has a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will undergo surgery in Los Angeles. . RHP Jake Jewell will be out at least six months after undergoing right ankle surgery Friday. . RHP Garrett Richards (hamstring) allowed five runs over 3 1/3 innings in a rehab start Friday with High-A Inland Empire. ”He lost some of his command as the outing went on, but physically he felt great,” Scioscia said.
Orioles: RHP Darren O’Day opted for surgery to repair a left hamstring strain, ending his season. … RHP Chris Tillman (back) was scheduled to make his third rehab start, this time with Triple-A Norfolk, on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Deck McGuire (0-0
Radek Faksa Jersey , 6.08 ERA) makes his third major league start in the series finale Sunday.
Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.20 ERA) lost his last four decisions and has not completed seven innings in any of his last eight starts.
Juan Soto is barely old enough to be in college, let alone lighting it up at Yankee Stadium.
The teenage rookie homered twice and drove in four runs, becoming the youngest player in 29 years to go deep in a regular-season game in the Bronx, and the Washington Nationals beat New York 5-4 on Wednesday night.
After getting a game off Tuesday, his first in three-plus weeks as a major leaguer, a refreshed Soto showed exactly why he was rated one of baseball’s best prospects.
”I’ll start off by saying, Soto is really good. How’s that?” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”He understands the game. He understands good at-bats.”
With family from New York in the crowd of 45,030, the 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic lofted a three-run homer into the left-field corner off Sonny Gray in the fourth inning to give Washington – shut out in its previous two games – a 4-3 lead.
Soto then launched a titanic shot in the seventh against Chasen Shreve (2-1), putting the Nationals back in front 5-4.
Projected at 436 feet, the drive soared to the back of a standing-room terrace above and beyond the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center. It also ended a 23-inning scoreless streak for New York relievers and made Soto (19 years, 231 days old) the youngest player in Nationals history to have a multihomer game.
”Strong kid,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. was 19 years, 190 days old when he homered (also twice) for Seattle at old Yankee Stadium on May 30, 1989. Andruw Jones was 19 as well when he hit two home runs there for Atlanta in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series.
”It feels pretty good. Two good outfielders,” Soto said. ”I like that.”
Called up from Double-A Harrisburg on May 20, Soto is batting .344 with five homers and 12 RBIs.
”He has power. Super young. Good hitter,” Shreve said. ”I didn’t do my job. We lost the game because of it.”
New York got a long home run from its own impressive rookie, 21-year-old Gleyber Torres, to tie it at 4 in the fifth. Greg Bird also hit a solo homer and Giancarlo Stanton had three hits for the Yankees, including an RBI single.
Adam Eaton and Matt Adams had three hits apiece for the Nationals, who made five outs on the bases but still won to split the two-game interleague series between World Series contenders. The teams meet again next Monday in Washington to complete a May 15 matchup suspended with the score tied 3-all in the sixth inning and to make up a May 16 rainout.
Justin Miller (4-0) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings on his 31st birthday.
”Pretty nice,” Miller said. ”I guess I’m just in the weeds – I keep snaking wins.”
Sammy Solis knocked down Brett Gardner’s comebacker with a runner on third for the final out of the seventh. Ryan Madson pitched out of trouble in the eighth and Sean Doolittle worked a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.
New York lost for only the fifth time in its last 23 home games.
Nationals rookie Erick Fedde allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. Pitching in place of injured ace Stephen Strasburg, the right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse before the game to make his fifth major league start and second this season.
AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER
Soto became the youngest big leaguer with a multihomer game in the regular season since Jones against Cincinnati in August 1996 – and the youngest player with four RBIs since Hall of Famer Robin Yount was 19 for Milwaukee in 1975. ”It’s unbelievable, honestly,” Fedde said. ”Special kid and I’m excited to play with him hopefully for the next couple of years.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: As expected, Bryce Harper was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday night’s loss in the eighth inning when he was hit by a pitch for the second time. The slugger was plunked on the right elbow and left foot but said afterward he was fine and there were ”no ill feelings at all.” Washington pitchers made no apparent attempt to retaliate Wednesday. Harper went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. … Daniel Murphy (right knee surgery) was the DH again after going hitless Tuesday in his season debut. ”He’s ready to play, so we’re going to play him. Nice to have that bat in the lineup,” Martinez said. Murphy went 0 for 3 with a walk. … Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation) is working out back home, Martinez said.
Yankees: Slumping catcher Gary Sanchez sat out for the second consecutive game, with backup Austin Romine catching Gray as usual. After a three-day breather, Sanchez will be back in the lineup Thursday, Boone said.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Following a day off, Washington resumes its AL East road trip in Toronto with LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-2, 2.65 ERA) pitching Friday night against RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-5, 4.33).
Yankees: Still looking for his first major league win, rookie right-hander Domingo German (0-4, 5.32 ERA) starts Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against Tampa Bay. LHP Blake Snell (8-3, 2.30) goes for the Rays.
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