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Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Tyler Wade bunts for a single to load the bases during the second inning of their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Taylor Ward (3) is greeted at home plate by Max Stassi, left, and Shohei Ohtani after Ward hit a grand slam during the second inning of their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. Ward finished a single short of hitting for the cycle in the Angels’ 9-5 victory. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Taylor Ward (3) celebrates with teammates Max Stassi (33) and Shohei Ohtani (17) after Ward hit a grand slam during the second inning of their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. Ward finished a single short of hitting for the cycle in the Angels’ 9-5 victory. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Mike Trout greets teammate Taylor Ward after Ward hit a grand slam during the second inning of their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. Ward finished a single short of hitting for the cycle in the Angels’ 9-5 victory. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Taylor Ward dons the cowboy hat and receives high-fives in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of their game against the Cleveland Gaurdians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. Ward finished a single short of hitting for the cycle in the Angels’ 9-5 victory. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Cleveland Guardians catcher Luke Maile tags the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani for an out after Ohtani was caught between third base and home on a Jared Walsh single during the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani slides safely into second base for a double ahead of the tag by the Cleveland Guardians’ Andrés Giménez during the sixth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani gestures to the crowd after sliding in safely for a double ahead of the tag by the Cleveland Guardians’ Andrés Giménez during the sixth inning on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani glances over his shoulder as he heads home on Mike Trout’s double to left field during the sixth inning of their game against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Angels’ Mike Trout reacts after hitting a double during the sixth inning of their game against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Japanese media interview Angels star Shohei Ohtani, right, after he was the winning pitcher and collected three hits in their 9-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Japanese media interview Angels star Shohei Ohtani, right, after he was the winning pitcher and collected three hits in their 9-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
ANAHEIM ― The Angels employ one baseball player who signed the most lucrative contract in the sport’s history, and another who recently graced the cover of Time Magazine. Neither of these men – Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, respectively – has been the team’s hottest hitter for the first month of the 2022 season.
That would be Taylor Ward, who batted in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s 9-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians needing a single to hit for the cycle. Ward didn’t complete the task – he flew out to deep right field – but what happened next demonstrated just how magnetic the 28-year-old right fielder has become at Angel Stadium: roughly half of the remaining crowd streamed for the exits.
Ward’s grand slam in the second inning broke open the game and allowed Ohtani (2-2) to earn a victory for his five innings of work on the mound. He also tripled in the sixth inning and doubled to begin the game, finishing 3 for 4 with four RBIs and four runs out of the leadoff slot.
“It’s cool to have this success, and I feel this is the way it should be,” Ward said. “I’m feeling good. I just want to keep it going but try not to think about it.”
Ohtani also went 3 for 5 with an RBI, becoming the first Angels pitcher to collect three hits and a win since Jarrod Washburn in 2001. The Angels (12-7) have won four consecutive games. They entered Thursday’s series finale in sole possession of first place in the American League West for only the third day this season.
Ward leads the team in batting average (.395), on-base percentage (.531) and slugging (.816). He has supplanted Ohtani as the team’s leadoff hitter and added potency to a lineup that is missing infielder David Fletcher.
Monday marked Ward’s first career multi-homer game. Wednesday nearly marked the first cycle of his life; Ward said he was a bit too aware of this fact going into his seventh-inning at-bat against Logan Allen.
“I wish I would’ve taken that pitch and battled with him a little,” he said.
Moreover, Ward is finally delivering on the potential of a former first-round draft pick (2015) who has struggled to hit consistently since turning professional.
“He’s getting an opportunity to play every day,” Trout said of Ward. “Just comes in every day, same routine in the cage, working hard, and it’s showing on the field.”
Ohtani labored through a 25-pitch first inning. He walked the Guardians’ leadoff hitter, Myles Straw, before serving up a two-run home run to Jose Ramirez. Ramirez also hit a two-run homer against reliever Andrew Wantz in the eighth inning.
The Angels tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the first. Ward scored on an RBI double by Trout, who later scored on a single by Anthony Rendon.
A fielding error by Cleveland and two singles by the bottom of the Angels’ lineup – Max Stassi and Tyler Wade – set up Ward’s grand slam in the second inning, a no-doubter to center field.
Ohtani seemed to settle in from there before an announced crowd of 28,557. He allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four batters on 86 pitches.
“The first couple innings, maybe because of the cold weather, the ball wasn’t coming out too well. As the game went on I started feeling better. It’s something I need to work on,” Ohtani said through his interpreter.
Run support was not an issue on this night. The Angels collected 14 hits as a team and went 7 for 12 with runners in scoring position. All nine starters reached base. Ohtani’s margin for error was large.
It had to be a rare feeling. Ohtani has seen the Angels miss the postseason every year since he left Japan after the 2017 season. The team has spent only one day – May 6, 2018 – in sole possession of first place after the month of April in any year with Ohtani on its roster.
The Angels are playing better now, Ohtani said through his interpreter, than at any point since he signed with the team.
“Everyone’s producing,” he said. “They’re doing their thing. It’s a great atmosphere in the clubhouse.”
A Taylor-made grand slam!
(MLB x @DairyQueen) pic.twitter.com/NfRNYLgT2h
— MLB (@MLB) April 28, 2022
3 straight XBH from Ward, Ohtani, and @MikeTrout gives the @Angels a 9-2 lead! pic.twitter.com/ysJ8ncKaIO
— MLB (@MLB) April 28, 2022
“It’s what we do and you guys can start to expect it”@Warrdyboy7 caught up with @EricaLWeston and shared insight on how the teams feeling after a huge game and W!#AngelsLive | @Angels pic.twitter.com/1AjdnHl9Dk
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 28, 2022
Manager Joe Maddon reflects on how the teams feeling after tonights big W!#AngelsLive | @Angels pic.twitter.com/SceXom1s6x
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 28, 2022
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