And That Happened: Wednesday’s scores and highlights

By Jul 31, 2014, 6:59 AM EDT
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An abbreviated version of ATH today. Apologies. I had a late night and thus a late start this morning and on days like this I have come to feel like you all would prefer to have the comment thread up for the previous night’s games sooner as opposed to waiting for my not 100% observations on last night’s games up late (my not 100% observations early, however, are still cool I hope).

For those who care, my late night was because I went to go see Heart and Joan Jett play at the Ohio state fair. That’s right, don’t hate. Heart and Joan Jett are awesome and I will accept no argument to the contrary. I even dig the 80s power ballad version of Heart. I mean, I was a 12 or 13-year-old boy when that stuff was coming out and I had MTV so, you know.

Only complaint about last night’s show: you can tell Ann and Nancy Wilson aren’t big fans of their 80s output. They sort of introduced that portion of the show with a half-apology and then reworked the instrumentation on “Alone,” “These Dreams” and “What About Love.” Ann still has the pipes and hit every big note, but there was, like, mandolin and acoustic guitar as opposed to power ballad bombast. I think we’re all mature enough and confident in our tastes, however, to be able to handle the full power ballad bombast, right? Even if it’s not cool? We won’t think less of you, Ann and Nancy, if you own that period of your careers. If you didn’t then most of us wouldn’t have even heard of you. You’d be like Foghat and Grand Funk and all of those other bands that petered out in 1979 and only our moms and dads know. Better, to be sure, but confined to that one decade and likely not able to fill a 10,000 person room like you did last night.

Um, OK, I think I’ve gone on long enough. And revealed far too much about myself. Now the scores:

(oh, Joan Jett kicked butt too)

Mets 11, Phillies 2
Brewers 5, Rays 0
Diamondbacks 5, Reds 4
Astros 8, Athletics 1
Nationals 4, Marlins 3
Orioles 4, Angels 3
Giants 7, Pirates 5
Indians 2, Mariners 0
Rockies 6, Cubs 4
Tigers 7, White Sox 2
Dodgers 3, Braves 2
Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 1
Padres 12, Cardinals 1
Rangers 3, Yankees 2
Royals 3, Twins 2

Ohtani homers twice, including career longest at 459 feet, Angels beat White Sox 12-5

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 12:48 AM EDT
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CHICAGO — Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5.

Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.

“Those are the guys you lean on,” manager Phil Nevin said. “They can certainly put the team on their backs and carry us and that’s what they did today.”

Ohtani drove a first-pitch fastball from Lance Lynn (4-6) just to left of straightaway center in the third, where the ball was dropped by a fan who tried to glove it. That 425-foot drive put the Angels ahead 4-1.

Lynn didn’t even bother to turn and look when Ohtani hit a full count fastball more than a dozen rows over the bullpen in right-center in the fourth. The two-way Japanese star is batting .269 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs to go along with a 5-1 record and 2.91 ERA.

“I’m feeling good right now,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I’m putting good swings on pitches I should be hitting hard.”

Ohtani increased his career total to 13 multihomer games with his first this season.

Trout pulled a hanging curve for his 13th home run. Ward hit a two-run homer against Jesse Scholtens in the seventh and Chad Wallach, pinch hitting for Ohtani, had a solo homer in the ninth off Garrett Crochet.

“Usually when that happens, we’re in a good spot to win,” Trout said.

Trout and Ohtani have homered in the same game for the fifth time this season. The Angels hit a pair of 450-foot or more home runs in the same game for the first time since Statcast started tracking in 2015.

Lynn allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55. He has given up 15 home runs, one short of the major league high of Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles. Lynn had won his previous three starts.

“It seemed like he didn’t get away with any today,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man.”

Jaime Barria (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

Los Angeles won two of three from the White Sox after being swept by Miami last weekend.

Jake Burger homered for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Burger hit his 11th homer in the ninth and Hanser Alberto had a two run double off Tucker Davidson.

Chicago’s Romy Gonzalez, who’d homered in three straight games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

THE NATURALS

Twenty-three people became naturalized U.S. citizens during a pregame swearing-in behind home plate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Trout fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fourth but remained in the game.

White Sox: INF Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) and RHP Mike Clevinger (right wrist inflammation) are close to returning but Grifol wouldn’t elaborate on either player’s status.

UP NEXT

Angels: Reid Detmers (0-4, 4.93) starts Thursday’s series opener at Houston against fellow LHP Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38).

White Sox: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener against visiting Detroit, which starts RHP Reese Olson in his major league debut. Olson is 2-3 with a 6.38 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Toledo.