MLB BIG LEAGUE results.
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By Pete Zarustica/Orange County Tribune
Shohei Ohtani had a rare off-night on Friday, giving up four home runs, but it didn’t matter because the Los Angeles Angels answered with a quartet of their own to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 in the opening game of a three-game series in Anaheim.
Ohtani (8-5) went 6.1 innings and yielded six hits and five earned runs. He struck out nine and walked one. Carlos Estevez picked up his 22nd save of the season.
The Angel hit parade included Mike Moustakas (ninth homer), Trey Cabbage (first), Zach Neto (eighth) and Taylor Ward (12th). Once again, Ohtani was not given much to hit, getting walked three times.
Reid Detmers (2-6) is expected to start Saturday’s games.
Defense and glove power the Astros
By David Arthur/Orange County Tribune
In a meeting of two National League division leaders Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the series with a rousing 11-5 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington.
The Dodgers used some spectacular outfield play by Johnny Deluca to rob the Rangers of some runs and the offense did the rest of the heavy lifting with 13 hits, including Freddie Freeman’s 18th home run of the season. The Blue Crew trailed 5-4 after six innings, but scored seven runs over the last three innings.
The win enabled the Dodgers (56-40) to put a little more distance between them and the second place Arizona and San Francisco teams, each three games back.
Tony Gonsolin had a wobbly start. He only gave up two hits in five innings but walked three batters and yield four runs. The win went to Ryan Brasier (2-2),who pitched two-thirds of an inning.
Saturday’s game should see Bobby Miller (5-1) getting the start for LAD.