Ohtani Dazzles, Houston Astros Fall in Pitchers’ Duel

The Houston Astros took on Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim Saturday night.

On the mound opposing the Houston Astros on Saturday night was baseball's most imposing figure of the current era. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani had a night worthy of the track record his name carries. Facing him for Houston was Luis Garcia.

Garcia did not look like a star in August. He allowed a 5.28 ERA and an .804 OPS to opposing hitters. Ohtani on the other hand, had an ERA of 2.20 in August, and going into the night's matchup his season ERA was 2.67 and falling.

Though Garcia held the Angels scoreless longer than Ohtani held the Astros, the 2021 AL MVP had the more impressive start, retiring the first 10 batters he faced, before allowing a single, then a double play to erase it.

Finally, in the top of the fifth, the Astros were the first team on the board. A double from Trey Mancini put a runner in scoring position with two out for J.J. Matijevic who singled the Houston runner home.

1-0 looked like it might just be an insurmountable lead with the way Garcia had been pitching, but it wasn't to be. It did take the Angels two more innings to strike, but strike they did, and in a game like this, 'small ball' was going to be the word of the day.

A single and a walk with none out brought Mike Ford to the plate. On a deep fly ball to center field, and the speedy Luis Rengifo on second base, Los Angeles tagged up to put runners at second and third with none out. Now, another deep fly ball brought the runner home off the bat of Ryan Aguilar, his first career RBI.

With the game once again tied, the focus shifted back to the pitchers. After surrendering his one and only run to the Astros in the fifth, Ohtani returned to dominance.

He allowed only three baserunners through three more innings, exiting after the eighth with five strikeouts, no walks and six hits. Garcia nearly matched him, exiting after seven, allowing only three hits, two walks and striking out seven.

The bullpens continued their starters' runs of dominance. Through nine innings neither team’s 'pen allowed a hit. Now, with the 'Manfred Runner' on second, would that trend be enough to hold the opposition scoreless?

The Angels and Astros continued to batter each other with relief excellence. Despite a two out single from Jeremy Peña in the 10th, the Astros were unable to capitalize. The Angels fared no better in their half of the inning, failing to move the runner over at all.

In the 11th the Astros again put pressure on the Angels when Jose Altuve stole third with one out, but the American League's August Player of the Month Alex Bregman struck out, stranding the runner at third.

With the Angels failing to score in their half of the 11th, Los Angeles was forced to reach deeper into their bullpen for Ryan Tepera. When Mauricio Dubon reached base on a fielders choice, putting runners on first and third with one out, it seemed inevitable that the Astros would finally break through.

Angels shortstop David Fletcher had other ideas. With David Hensley at the plate, Fletcher fielded a weakly hit groundball, and in a feat of individual defensive brilliance, Fletcher looked the runner back to third before turning a double play, putting the Angels back in the driver's seat.

Escaping the 12th on a groundball from Chas McCormick, the Astros were unable to hold on any longer. Although the Angels started the inning with a strikeout and a pop out, Matt Duffy blooped a single to center fielder Mauricio Dubon whose diving attempt came up just short. 

The Angels won in a nail-biting fashion, a moral victory, shortening their AL West deficit, now only 27 games behind the division-leading Astros.

The series rubber match starts Sunday at 3:07 CST. José Urquidy will take on the Angels' Tucker Davidson.

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