Seattle – Yusei Kikuchi put together five solid innings but got no decision due to a lack of run support as the Seattle Mariners went down 5-4 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
The lefty struck out eight and allowed one run on six hits and a walk at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park — a marked improvement on his previous outing in Houston, where he lasted just 1⅔ innings after giving up six runs in the second.
“My manager told me I could pitch without worrying about the outcome, so that helped,” Kikuchi said.
“It took the pressure off. I wanted to pitch (into the sixth inning), but that’s okay, it’s his decision.”
The Diamondbacks took advantage of Kikuchi’s exit and broke open a 1-1 game with four consecutive hits off reliever Anthony Misiewicz (4-5) to start the sixth, scoring three runs in the inning. Erik Swanson gave up another run on a homer to Ketel Marte in the seventh.
Arizona starter Tyler Gilbert (2-2) allowed just two hits — both solo homers — in 5⅓ innings for the win.
At Minute Maid Park in Houston, Shohei Ohtani went 1-for-3 with a walk as the Los Angeles Angels’ lineup struggled to generate offense in a 3-1 loss to the Houston Astros.
Ohtani and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero are now tied for the major league lead in homers at 44.
The Japanese two-way phenomenon is one win away from becoming the first player in 103 years to record double-digit wins and home runs in a single season. Manager Joe Maddon said Ohtani’s next pitching start will not come until after the Angels’ upcoming series at the Chicago White Sox.
After three games in Chicago, the Angels will begin a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim on Friday.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.