Shohei Ohtani flirts with the cycle again as Angels edge Mariners

At the plate, Shohei Ohtani looked like a skilled hitter on a hot streak, chasing another historic cycle. But on the mound, the Angels’ two-way star wasn’t as successful. Making matters worse, the Angels saw rookie fireballer Ben Joyce depart because of an injury.

The Angels defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-4 Friday night at Angel Stadium. Carlos Estévez earned his 17th save after giving up a ninth-inning home run to Mike Ford. It was the Angels’ fifth consecutive victory.

On offense, Ohtani started with a single on a ground ball that was too difficult for Mariners’ third baseman Eugenio Suárez. Ohtani, who reached base in the first inning with one out, was left stranded after Mike Trout struck out and Anthony Rendon flied out.

On the mound, Ohtani walked his first batter. The inning did not get much better for him.

Ohtani needed 31 pitches in the first, giving up a two-run home run to Jarred Kelenic, which prompted an early outing chat with pitching coach Matt Wise.

The second inning flowed much smoother, as Ohtani retired the side in order on a strikeout, groundout and popup. And he helped keep the Mariners from scoring again until the fifth inning, when Ty France singled home Jose Caballero.

Ohtani’s command appeared shaky through Friday’s game, with at least three pitches going high and inside to three different batters. One of those pitches hit Julio Rodríguez in the shoulder in the fifth inning.

Ohtani left after five innings, giving up three earned runs and three hits, with five walks and six strikeouts.

Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during the first inning Friday against the Seattle Mariners.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

He got the first two runs back in the bottom of the third, after hitting a 440-foot, two-run blast into the right-center-field seats.

The home run left Ohtani’s bat at 112.9 mph, which was the fourth- hardest-hit home run by a pitcher since 2015 (Statcast era).

The home run tied the score for the Angels before Luis Rengifo gave them the lead with an RBI single in the the fourth inning. The third earned run given up by Ohtani in the fifth lost that lead, but Mickey Moniak put the Angels ahead to stay.

Moniak hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, a towering shot that banged against the digital billboard above the center-field wall.

Ohtani fell short of the cycle, missing a triple. He hit a double in the bottom of the fifth but was left stranded. It was the fourth time this season Ohtani had at least three hits in a game in which he pitched.

Joyce leaves game

Joyce, the team’s rookie reliever, came into Friday’s game having seen tangible success in the big leagues in a few short weeks.

“It’s been awesome,” Joyce said before the game. “It’s been a dream come true to be called up here.”

His name was called again to replace Ohtani to start the top of the sixth inning, but his outing lasted only five pitches before he seemed to be in distress. The Angels said later that Joyce was pulled because of right hand irritation.

Wise jogged out to the mound after Joyce walked Teoscar Hernández, the only batter he faced. Then the infielders, manager Phil Nevin and an athletic trainer also gathered around Joyce.

Wise walked back to the dugout and soon after, Joyce walked off with the trainer, his head down. Jacob Webb came on in relief.

Injury update

Veteran reliever Matt Moore (Grade 2 right oblique strain) could start throwing this weekend, Nevin said before the game. He will be evaluated again before that happens and the Angels will then create a throwing program.

Moore, a left-hander, went on the injured list on May 28 retroactive to May 25, his oblique injury cropping up while playing catch before a game against the Miami Marlins. He was shut down from throwing after that.