Shohei Ohtani is limited to hitting these days because of an elbow injury.

He remains quite the presence for the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani’s two-out walk helped set up a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in the opening game of the Freeway Series.

The Angels were down to their last strike in the ninth inning when Ohtani battled back from a 0-2 count all the way to a walk against Kenley Jansen (0-2). Ohtani then stole second and advanced to third on catcher Yasmani Grandal’s throwing error before David Fletcher hit a tying RBI single to left.

”I think it speaks to the threat Shohei is at the plate James Daniels Bears Jersey ,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ”(Jansen) is as good as there is at the back end of the game.”

It was Ohtani’s second stolen base of his rookie season. The two-way star has more time to practice other parts of the game while he is staying off the mound.

”I wasn’t absolutely going to go on the first pitch but for the hitter it’s easier to steal a base earlier in the count,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Ian Kinsler followed with another base hit, and Fletcher scored when Yasiel Puig’s throw skipped by Grandal for a game-ending error. Blake Parker (2-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

”It was a great at-bat. (Ohtani) did what he needed to do,” Kinsler said. ”The report on Kenley is that he loses track of runners or concentrates a lot on the hitter. You have an opportunity to steal against him. Shohei took second. It was huge. We got in scoring position and obviously the throw got away. He got himself in scoring position and that’s what you’re supposed to do.”

The 108 degree temperature set a record at first pitch for a game in Anaheim. The previous record was 106, which happened in 1988 and 2007.

The Dodgers wasted a solid start by Kenta Maeda, who struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. They had won four in a row.

”For me it’s unacceptable at 0-2 to lose him there,” Jansen said. ”I had him where I wanted to. I just feel I almost lost my feel on the fastball up in the zone. I couldn’t get it where I wanted to. That walk irritated me. I’ve got to keep my composure.”

Matt Kemp hit run-scoring singles in the fourth and sixth to help the Dodgers jump in front, but the Angels rallied in the sixth.

Kinsler and Jose Briceno opened the inning with singles. Kole Calhoun then struck out and Andrelton Simmons flied out before Mike Trout was walked intentionally, loading the bases.

Maeda then was called for a balk, allowing Kinsler to score. Justin Upton walked to load the bases again, and Scott Alexander struck out Albert Pujols to end the inning.

Angels starter Felix Pena, a converted reliever Authentic Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , allowed two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Fletcher had faced Jansen once before in spring training. He struck out. This time he got the big hit.

”The experience was good. Obviously, when you see a pitcher more than once it can help you,” Fletcher said.

SHO-DOWN

Maeda and Japanese countryman Ohtani faced each other for the first time in Major League Baseball. Ohtani was 0 for 2 with a strikeout and a groundout. Ohtani went 2 for 7 against Maeda when the two played professional baseball in Japan.

”He was on top of his game I felt like,” Ohtani said. ”When the starting pitcher is pitching that well, to come back and win like that is big.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder inflammation) threw a light bullpen of 20 to 25 pitches and then went to Arizona for more rehabilitation … RHP Walker Buehler (right rib micro fracture) threw a bullpen and will throw a five-inning simulated game Sunday morning.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Ross Stripling (6-2, 2.27 ERA) starts Saturday night. He allowed four earned runs in six innings in the Dodgers’ 6-4 win over Colorado on Sunday. It was just the second time he allowed four runs in a start this season.

Angels: RHP Deck McGuire (0-1, 8.64 ERA) lasted just 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore in his last start.

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Kirk Cousins was the unequivocal jewel of this year's free agent quarterback class in just about everyone's mind but John Elway's.

"We got our guy," the Denver Broncos general manager said Friday at Case Keenum's introductory news conference. "We got the guy that was our target."

Even though Keenum was No. 1 in Elway's eyes, he was viewed over the last several weeks as something of a runner-up even in the Broncos locker room.

Several stars such as Von Miller, Brandon Marshall and Emmanuel Sanders campaigned for Cousins, issuing public pleas for the ex-Washington QB who ultimately signed a three-year, $84 million deal with Minnesota.

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"I applaud those guys for wanting to make their team better," Keenum said after signing his two-year, $36 million deal that includes $25 million in guarantees. "I want guys that want their team to be great, that want to do everything they can to help the team. So, no, it's not awkward to me at all."

Neither will it be clumsy, Keenum insisted, if Elway decides to use the fifth overall pick in next month's NFL draft on another quarterback.

This year's class is unusually deep at quarterback with as many as six teams expected to use first-round picks on passers, and Elway has a high draft pick for the first time since selecting Miller at No. 2 in 2011.

"I've been around long enough to know that anything is a possibility in this league. I was a starting quarterback when a team drafted somebody No. 1 overall and traded a bunch of draft picks. I know how that goes," Keenum said Derrius Guice Color Rush Jersey , recalling when the Rams selected Jared Goff in 2016.

"I know that my teammates, my coaches and the front office 鈥?everyone 鈥?is doing everything they possibly can to be the best Denver Broncos that we can possibly be. For me, it doesn't change my mindset. It really doesn't."

Elway spent the week scoping out QB prospects Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen during their pro days and issued invitations to Sam Darnold and Mayfield for interviews at team headquarters in the coming weeks.

Yet, landing Keenum gives Elway the flexibility to draft a blue chip prospect such as Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson or North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb should there be an early run on quarterbacks.

That would give Keenum a premier pick to help him rather than his eventual replacement to fend off as long as he can.

"We have a lot of opportunities at five now," Elway said.

The Broncos are coming off a 5-11 season in which they cycled through Elway's former draft picks Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch and Brock Osweiler at quarterback. They're sending Siemian to Minnesota. Osweiler is a free agent and Lynch is now Keenum's backup. He also won't have the chance to earn the starting job in training camp like he had the last two summers.

Coach Vance Joseph welcomes the lack of another quarterback competition, saying it's good for players and coaches to just focus on building an offensive scheme rather than wondering who will be running it.

Elway lauded Keenum's renowned work ethic, his leadership and his success after going undrafted out of the University of Houston but building a strong resume with the Texans, Rams and Vikings.

"As far as leadership qualities, the grit that he has, the way that he plays the game, the way that he competes Cheap Dante Pettis Jersey , he was the perfect fit for us," Elway said.

The Broncos' crush on Keenum goes way back, too.

Senior personnel adviser Gary Kubiak gave him his start in the NFL and coached him in Houston for two years when Joseph was on the Texans' staff.

The Broncos even tried to pry Keenum away from the Rams after Peyton Manning retired two years ago only to be rebuffed.

Keenum, who only had one scholarship offer after high school, isn't used to such fawning.

"To have a team pursue me, and like John said, to be their guy, that instills a lot of confidence in me and I am ready to be that guy," Keenum said. "I know I am, and I'm excited to be the Denver Broncos' quarterback."
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