Ohtani gives up three runs in the fifth inning, two on a homer by No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado, and that proves to be too much on a night when Valdez strikes out 12 in eight innings.
ANAHEIM — Shohei Ohtani was pretty good, but the Angels needed him to be almost perfect.
That was too much on a night that the Angels managed nothing other than Zach Neto’s first career homer against Valdez. The Angels had three hits in eight innings against Valdez, and only one at-bat with a runner in scoring position. Valdez struck out 12 and didn’t walk any. Ohtani had never allowed more than two runs in three straight games, so his history indicated he would be better.
The Astros’ Maldonado, who had been Ohtani’s batterymate during his rookie season in 2018, worked a 3-and-2 count and then Ohtani hung a sweeper over the middle of the plate, and Maldonado hit a two-run homer. It was just the second homer of the season for Maldonado, who carried a .496 OPS into the game.
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