ANAHEIM, California – Shohei Ohtani hit a homerun in the eighth inning to start the Angels’ attack, and Taylor Ward hit a game-ending two-run blast to the center right in the 11th inning as Los Angeles made a come-from-behind 5-3 completed victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.
It was Ward’s second homerun to end the game, and the first since the last game of the 2018 season, as the Angels won for the fourth time in five games.
Carlos Correa hit home and Luis Arraez had three hits for the Twins, who lost a three-run lead in the eighth inning and stayed 1 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.
Until their last strike, the Angels almost rallied for victory in the bottom of the ninth against Twins closer Jorge Lopez. Magneuris Sierra’s two-out hit down the left field line scored both Joe Adell and pinch-runner Andrew Velazquez to make it 3rd. But Sierra was thrown out at home plate in his bid to win a game in the park’s Home run.
“It was a really emotional game that saved us the game,” Lopez said of the brief hiatus. “I’m just thankful for that moment to run the (relay race). There was gratitude to have that moment and to have the opportunity (to continue playing). But I should have done a better pitch and I let the team just a little bit.”
The Angels then lost a chance to win the game in the 10th inning with Sierra on third base and Ohtani on first base by being walked intentionally with one out. Luis Rengifo lined up to center on a dive catch by Byron Buxton. Ohtani ran onto the field and he was doubled at first base to end the inning.
But Ward won with his 16th homerun of the season and the Angels took their third walk-off win this year.
“Unbelievable,” Ward said. “It feels really good. I was super happy. … It was huge. You never know what it could do for us.”
Correa gave the Twins an 1-0 lead with two batters in the game when he lifted a 2-1 fastball from Angels-starter Reid Detmers to the right midfield seats. It was his 14th home run of the season and the first since July 30.
The Twins loaded the bases with no one out in the fifth inning and took a 2-0 lead on a sac-fly by Correa to rightfield. But Detmers escaped further damage when he took out Jose Miranda and Jorge Polanco.
Minnesota took a run in the eighth inning for a 3-0 lead when Gio Urshela’s helicopter scored in front of the plate Polanco.
In the eighth inning, Ohtani ended the Twins’ shutout-bid and 17-inning scoreless streak when he hit a homerun just out of reach for Minnesota midfielder Buxton. It was Ohtani’s 26th of the season and fourth in his last nine games.
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The Angels started their rally in the ninth inning against Lopez when Adell singled with one out. Max Stassi walked with two outs before being replaced on base by Velazquez. Sierra hit a 1-2 delivery into the left field corner for an tying triple, but was unable to score after the ball bounced off Minnesota left fielder Nick Gordon.
“I always dream of having a home run,” Sierra said through an interpreter of his lack of a home run in 250 Major League games over parts of six seasons. “When I came in second, I thought, ‘I’m going to make it. I’m going to make my dream come true.’ And then I couldn’t.”
Twins starter Dylan Bundy gave up only two hits with one walk and a strikeout in his first start against his former team since pitching for Los Angeles from 2020-21. Emilio Pagan (3-6) gave up Ward’s homerun in the 11th.
Detmers gave up five hits with three walks and nine strikeouts and now has 28 strikeouts over his last three starts. Six Angels-pitchers combined struckout 15, with Ryan Tepera (3-2) taking the win.
IN THE SWING
Angels star Mike Trout took punch training for the first time since being on the list injured on July 18 due to ribcage inflammation. The session came a day after Trout did some running and throwing exercises on the field.
There remains no timetable for the return of the three-time AL MVP, with a minor league rehab assignment likely before he’s back in the Angels lineup.
Trout, a career .303 batter with a 1,000 OPS, has 24 homeruns and 51 RBI’s in 79 games this season.
NEXT ONE
Twins: RHP Chris Archer (2-5, 4.02 ERA) takes the mound with a 2.50 ERA against the Angels in 54 innings.
Angels: LHP Tucker Davidson (1-3, 7.91) makes his first home start for his new club after being taken over from the Braves on Aug. 2.
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