Ohtani Pitches 7 Crisp Innings, Angels Beat Blue Jays 2–0

Shohei Ohtani #17 and Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrate their MLB game victory against the Toronto Blue Jays, among teammates, at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, August 27, 2022. (Cole Burston/Getty Images)

TORONTO—Shohei Ohtani struck out nine in seven innings and Andrew Velazquez homered, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2–0 on Saturday, August 27.

Ohtani (11–8) allowed two hits—a single for George Springer in the first, and a two-out double for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third—in his career-best 11th win. David Fletcher had three hits and scored the winning run on Luis Rengifo’s single in the sixth.

Jimmy Herget finished the two-hitter as the Angels won consecutive games after losing the previous six, blanking the Blue Jays for the second day in a row.

Los Angeles, which won 12–0 Friday, leads the AL with 15 shutouts.

Toronto wasted a strong performance by All-Star right-hander Alek Manoah (12–7), who struck out eight in seven innings.

Velazquez hit his eighth homer against Anthony Bass in the ninth. He also went deep on Friday.

Ohtani threw a season-high 109 pitches, 72 for strikes, in his first win since August 9 at Oakland. He lowered his ERA to 2.67.

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Canada, August 27, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)

Herget retired all six batters he faced for his third save in four chances.

At the plate, Ohtani walked in the first, struck out in the fourth and reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth.

While awaiting a 3–2 pitch from right-hander Yimi Garcia in the eighth, Ohtani asked for time and backed out of the box. Umpire Shane Livensparger didn’t grant the request but Garcia’s pitch missed high, giving Ohtani his second walk.

Already upset at Ohtani’s walk, interim Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected for arguing with Livensparger after Garcia walked the next batter, Mike Ford, on five pitches. The ejection was Schneider’s first.

Manoah cruised through five innings before running into trouble in the sixth.

Fletcher led off with a single and Mike Trout walked before Ohtani beat out a potential double-play grounder, with the call at first base overturned on replay.

Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels strikes out in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, August 27, 2022. (Cole Burston/Getty Images)

Rengifo drove in Fletcher with a first-pitch single to left.

Springer started in center field for the first time since being activated off the injured list Aug. 15. Springer’s sore right elbow had limited him to DH duties since returning.

Springer singled in his first at-bat, extending his season-long hitting streak to 11.