Mickey Moniak’s two-run double in the seventh inning snapped a 1-1 tie and propelled the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.
Moniak also barely missed a highlight-reel catch, going into the seats at the short wall near the left-field foul pole, initially grabbing Alex Kirilloff’s long fly ball only to have it pop out of his glove at the last moment for a home run in the eighth.
Moniak’s clutch hit off Twins reliever Jorge Lopez gave the Angels a 3-1 lead before Kirilloff’s homer cut the Angels’ edge to 3-2. But the Angels got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on Matt Thaiss’ two-out RBI double.
Angels reliever Chris Devenski (2-0) earned the win despite facing only one batter. He entered the game in the top of the seventh with two outs and the bases loaded in a 1-1 game, striking out Joey Gallo to end the threat.
Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth for his 12th save.
Shohei Ohtani started for the Angels and gave up one run on two hits and three walks in six innings, striking out nine. He went 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate.
Willi Castro had three hits for the Twins.
The Twins took the lead in the third inning after Ohtani retired the first two batters of the inning. Gallo walked and Carlos Correa followed by hitting a hanging sweeper to right-center field for a double, scoring Gallo for a 1-0 Twins lead.
The Angels tied the game in the fourth inning against Twins starter Pablo Lopez (2-3) after Hunter Renfroe led off with a single and went to third on a single by Jared Walsh. Gio Urshela hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Renfroe from third, but Walsh was doubled up at first base.
Ohtani settled in, retiring the side in both the fourth and sixth innings and getting a double play in the fifth that kept the Twins from starting a rally.
Pablo Lopez matched Ohtani inning for inning, coming up with key outs in tough situations as the Angels were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position against him.
–Field Level Media
