Sports
Angels Open Season Without Ohtani With 11-3 Loss
The Angels were held to two hits — a first-inning homer by Mike Trout and a pinch-hit double by Luis Rengifo leading off the eighth.
ANAHEIM, CA — The Angels officially began life without Shohei Ohtani and with Ron Washington as their manager Thursday with an 11-3, season-opening loss in Baltimore.
The Angels were held to two hits -- a first-inning homer by Mike Trout and a pinch-hit double by Luis Rengifo leading off the eighth -- off right- hander Corbin Burnes and three relievers.
Left-hander Patrick Sandoval allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits and walked two in 1 2/3 innings in his first Opening Day start.
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The Orioles combined singles by Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg and two walks for two runs in the first.
In the second, Rutschman singled in Ramón Urías, who reached on a throwing error by third baseman Anthony Rendon, and Jorge Mateo, who doubled. Rutschman moved to third on Ryan Mountcastle's single and scored on Anthony Santander's sacrifice fly, giving Baltimore a 5-1 lead.
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After Austin Hays singled for the fourth hit of the inning Washington replaced Sandoval with José Suarez.
Santander hit a two-run homer off Suarez in the fourth.
Cedric Mullins hit a three-run homer on the final pitch thrown by José Cisnero, the third of five Angel pitchers, in the seventh, increasing the Orioles' lead to 11-1.
The Angels loaded the bases in the eighth on Rengifo's double and walks to Nolan Schanuel and Logan O'Hoppe. Rengifo scored on Zach Neto's ground out. Schanuel scored on a throwing error by Mateo, the Baltimore second baseman, trying to complete a double play.
Burnes allowed one hit, struck out 11 and didn't walk a batter in six innings in his Orioles debut.
The 2021 National League Cy Young Award recipient and an All-Star selection each of the past three seasons was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers Feb. 1 in exchange for left-handed reliever DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and future considerations.
A moment of silence was held honoring the victims of Tuesday's collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and their families and sharing an appreciation for the first responders.
The March 28 Opening Day was the earliest in Angels history. Their previous earliest opening day was March 29, 2018.
This was the second time the Angels opened a season against the Orioles. The other time came in their inaugural 1961 season, when they won 7-2.
Ohtani left the Angels after spending the first six seasons of his major league career with them to sign the largest contract in professional sports history with the Dodgers -- 10 years for $700 million with $680 million deferred.
However, despite Ohtani accomplishing feats as a two-way player not accomplished since the days of Babe Ruth and being a two-time unanimous selection as the American League's MVP, the Angels never had a winning record since he joined the team in 2018.
The team's second consecutive 73-89 season prompted the Angels to decline the option on manager Phil Nevin's contract and later replace him with Washington, the Atlanta Braves' third base coach for the previous seven seasons.
Washington managed the Texas Rangers from 2007-14, guiding them to American League pennants in 2010 and 2011.
Following three games in Baltimore and three in Miami, the Angels will play their home opener April 5 against the Boston Red Sox.
City News Service
