Shohei Ohtani hit a two out, two run homerun in the ninth inning off Boston closer Matt Barnes Sunday afternoon, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim avoided a three game sweep with a 6-5 win at Fenway Park.
Los Angeles (17-22) jumped out to a 4-0 lead off Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi in the second inning. Taylor Ward had an RBI single, Phil Gosselin an RBI double, and Drew Butera a two-run single. Jonathan Arauz got the Sox on the board with an RBI double in the third. The hosts came up with a four spot in the fifth to take their first and only lead of the day. With one out Kevin Plawecki hit a solo homer, his first of the season. Arauz then singled to knock Angels starter Jose Quintana out of the game. Michael Chavis kept it going with a single to left field, and then Devers took an 0-2 pitch into the Boston bullpen in right center for the three-run shot and a 5-4 Sox advantage. The long ball was the 11th for Devers. Barnes would come out the bullpen to attempt a four out save with two out in the eighth inning. Mike Trout kept the game going with a bloop two out single in the ninth, ending an 0-18 slump. Ohtani then took the next pitch and regained the league lead in homeruns with his 12th by wrapping one around the right field foul pole in right for the game winning two-run homer. The Sox had two runners on in the bottom half thanks to a pair of walks, but LA reliever Mike Mayers struck out the side including Chavis to end it.
Plawecki and Chavis had two hits a piece for the 25-17 Red Sox. Eovaldi ended up going 5.0 innings allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Phillips Valdez, Josh Taylor, and Adam Ottavino all got a hold while Barnes (1-1) was charged with the blown save and the loss. Jared Walsh had three hits for the Angels and Gosselin had two. Raisel Iglesias (2-2) picked up the pitching win in relief, and Mayers got his second save. Boston now gets their first day off in almost two weeks, and will start a six game road trip with a three game series with the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida Tuesday night. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez will go to the hill for the Sox, while the Jays go with LHP Hyun-jin Ryu.
