Shohei Ohtani doubled and scored a go-ahead run on Sunday but the Los Angeles Angels surrendered the lead and suffered a 4-2 loss against the Texas Rangers.
With the Angels trailing 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Ohtani, batting third as the Angels' designated hitter, sent a fastball from Texas starter Yovani Gallardo up right field to put himself on second and David Fletcher, who singled to start the inning, on third.
Cleanup man Albert Pujols singled against the right-hander on the next play, and Fletcher tied the game after an unsuccessful fielder's choice. Andrelton Simmons grounded into a double play but Ohtani crossed the plate for the go-ahead run.
In the seventh, however, Rougned Odor, who drove in the Rangers' opening run, crushed a three-run shot against Noe Ramirez (4-4) to take back the lead and claim the four-game series at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
Ohtani struck out against Gallardo in the first, but was intentionally walked in the sixth. He flied out against Texas reliever Jose Leclerc in a 1-2-3 ninth.
The two-way Japanese rookie, who has been sidelined as a pitcher with a sprained elbow ligament, is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Monday at the Angels' training complex in Tempe, Arizona.
It will be his first time facing hitters since receiving platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections to treat his injury on June 7.