ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani’s Angels-record 14th home run in June wasn’t enough to defeat a Chicago White Sox six-run third inning.
The Japanese superstar broke the team’s mark for home runs in a month Thursday in the ninth inning of Los Angeles’ 9-7 loss with a two-point shot to center left from Kendall Graveman’s slider.
Ohtani surpassed his own mark of 13 homers hit in June 2021. He had shared the Angels record with Mike Trout (July 2019), Albert Pujols (June 2015), Mo Vaughn (May 2000) and Tim Salmon (June 1996).
The homer was Ohtani’s fourth in the four-game series and also extended his hitting streak to seven games. On Tuesday, he became the first AL starting pitcher since 1963 to hit two homers and strike out at least 10 in the same game.
He leads the majors with 29 home runs and is batting .309.
“It was a really good shot to the outside of the plate. It blows you away every day. It’s fun to watch,” manager Phil Nevin said.
Mike Trout – who was voted the AL All-Star starter for the 10th consecutive time after the game – also took some joy watching Ohtani’s latest feat despite the loss.
Trout also provided his own highlights with three hits. He also landed a leaping catch off the wall in the center in the fourth inning to deny Andrew Vaughn a solo shot.
“We’ll never see each other again and I take a front row seat to watch him from the circle on deck. It’s quite special what he does,” Trout said.
The White Sox rallied to split the series after dropping the first two games. It’s the fourth time this season that they’ve tackled at least six in one set.
“I think if you told me you’re going to win two games in a four-game set, I’d say I’d like to take the last two,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “To go 2-2 from here after losing the first two games is important for us.”
I’ll tell you I’m taking the last two they’ve got a good ball club there like we beat the first two games and we find a way to win the last two but even here or start the streak down or two and leave here together.
Eloy Jiménez and Zach Remillard provided the key hits in the third with two-run singles with the bases loaded by Patrick Sandoval (4-7). Yasmani Grandal and Clint Frazier also had RBI hits.
“Responding early has been huge for us. This round allowed us to navigate the rest of the game,” said Rémillard.
Lance Lynn (5-8) got his first win since May 26. The right-hander allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out seven in six innings.
“I made three mistakes and they left the stadium, which usually doesn’t happen. But today the offense managed to score points and it didn’t kill us,” Lynn said.
Mickey Moniak, Mike Moustakis and Hunter Renfroe also homered for the Angels, who went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“I want to win playoffs at home. After you get the first two you think you’re going to get one of the next two and have a great streak and we haven’t accomplished that,” Nevin said.
After Tim Anderson scored on wild pitch by Sandoval in the top of the first, Moniak tied with his AL-leading fourth homer of the season, a solo shot just wide of Lynn’s fastball.
The Angels extended their lead via the long ball to 4-1 in the second. Moustakis started the inning with a drive to right field for his first homer with the Angels. The infielder and Southern California native was acquired from the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
Matt Thaiss followed with a single before Renfroe hit a two-run homer down the left field line.
Chicago got a pair of insurance runs in the ninth that would eventually prove necessary. Andrew Vaughn had a triple RBI and scored on Jacob Webb’s wild field.
BE TAKEN DEEP
Lynn leads the big league starting pitchers with 22 homers allowed. He is the fourth White Sox pitcher in team history to allow at least that many before the All-Star Game, joining Floyd Bannister (25 in 1987), Reynaldo Lopez (23 in 2019) and James Baldwin (23 in 1999).
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: LF and leadoff batter Andrew Benintendi had a scheduled day off.
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon (left wrist contusion) lined up ground balls before the game.
FOLLOWING
White Sox: Continue their road trip to Oakland on Friday. The starting pitcher has not been determined.
Angels: Host Arizona for weekend series. RHP Griffin Canning (6-2, 3.99 ERA) is 4-0 in his last six starts.