REUTERS
August 30, 2022 at 14:10 JST
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, hits a two-run home run as New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino watches during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Aug. 29, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo)
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run home run as the Los Angeles Angels got the upper hand in the first round of a three-game MVP showdown, holding on to defeat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Monday in Anaheim, Calif.
Yankees MVP candidate Aaron Judge hit his own home run, his 50th of the season, but his chances were limited after he also was intentionally walked twice.
Ohtani recovered from a double-play grounder and a strikeout in his first two at-bats to go deep in the fifth inning. He added an infield single. Luis Rengifo and Mike Ford also hit home runs for the Angels.
Judge’s home run brought the Yankees within a run in the eighth, the second time he has reached 50 homers after hitting 52 in 2017. It is the 10th time a Yankees player has hit at least 50 in a single season.
Anthony Rizzo added a home run for New York, which lost its third-consecutive game.
Angels starter Jose Suarez (5-6) gave up two runs on three hits over six innings with three walks and six strikeouts.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a leadoff home run from Rengifo, his 11th.
The Yankees tied the game in the third inning. A squeeze bunt by DJ LeMahieu scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and sent Oswaldo Cabrera to second base, but also left first base open for an intentional walk to Judge. Suarez got Andrew Benintendi to ground out to second, ending the threat.
The Yankees took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning when Rizzo hit a two-out home run into the right field corner, his 29th.
The Angels evened the score in their half of the fourth when Ford hit a home run to right field, his first with the Angels in five games.
With two outs in the fifth, Mike Trout singled to center against Yankees starter Frankie Montas. Four pitches later, Ohtani gave the Angels the lead.
Montas (4-11) gave up four runs on eight hits over six innings. Acquired at the trade deadline from the Oakland Athletics, Montas is now 0-2 with a 7.01 ERA in his first five starts with the Yankees.
Angels right-hander Jimmy Herget recorded the final two outs for his fourth save.
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