Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani celebrates after getting the third out to end the seventh inning of their game against the Rangers on Friday night at Angel Stadium. Ohtani threw a career-high 117 pitches in a 3-2 victory. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of Friday’s game against the Rangers at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts on the mound after he is hit in the hand fielding a ball during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani signals that he is ok to continue, after he is hit in the hand fielding a ball during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Glenn Otto of the Rangers pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Jared Walsh of the Angels hits an RBI single, to take a 2-0 lead over the Texas Rangers, during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
David Fletcher of the Angels celebrates his run in the dugout, to take a 1-0 lead over the Texas Rangers, during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Jonah Heim of the Rangers reacts as Phil Gosselin of the Angels scores, to take a 2-0 lead, during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of Friday’s game against the Rangers at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani of the Angels reacts as he hits into a double play during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani of the Angels reacts as he hits into a double play during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Brandon Marsh of the Angels watches a double over his head from Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after a double from Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after a double from Nick Solak #15 of the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts as he leaves the field as the end of the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Dennis Santana of the Rangers pitches during the sixth inning against the Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Brandon Marsh of the Angels reacts to his double behind Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Jo Adell of the Angels celebrates his run from a Max Stassi single, to take a 3-2 lead over the Texas Rangers, during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Jonah Heim of the Rangers reacts to an injury in front of Manager Chris Woodward during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 03, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani celebrates after getting the third out to end the seventh inning of their game against the Rangers on Friday night at Angel Stadium. Ohtani threw a career-high 117 pitches in a 3-2 victory. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Fans of Shohei Ohtani of the Angels hold up a sign during Friday night’s game against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani celebrates after getting the third out to end the seventh inning of their game against the Rangers on Friday night at Angel Stadium. Ohtani threw a career-high 117 pitches in a 3-2 victory. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias throws to the plate during the ninth inning of Friday’s game against the Rangers at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Raisel Iglesias of the Angels celebrates the third out and a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
From left, Angels first baseman Jared Walsh, center fielder Brandon Marsh and relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias celebrate after a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
ANAHEIM — Although the Angels are simply playing out the string for the final month, Manager Joe Maddon isn’t easing off on Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani threw a career-high 117 pitches, including his first one in five months to hit 100 mph, over seven innings in the Angels’ 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
He had thrown as many as 100 just once before this season, and only two other times during his rookie season in 2018.
Maddon said he felt like it would have a long-term benefit to Ohtani to stretch him this way.
“I like when guys go more deeply into the game like that,” Maddon said. “The mind once stretched has a difficult time going back to its original form, so does a pitcher. When he goes that deeply and gets out of a jam late and has his A stuff late, it does something for him down the road. … This was absolutely a growth moment for him.”
Maddon said he was also willing to give Ohtani a longer leash because he had only thrown 85 pitches in his previous outing, and he had extra days since that start because he was nursing a sore wrist from being hit by a pitch.
“I thought 117 was fine based on his usage, based on the rest he had in between and the rest he will have going into the next one,” Maddon said.
This outing came with three extra days of rest because he had been hit in the wrist by a pitch last Saturday.
He got a scare in the first inning when Nate Lowe hit a comebacker at 102.3 mph, deflecting off Ohtani’s bare hand. Ohtani recovered to make a throw to first, but it wasn’t in time for the out. He then was attended to by a trainer, but he remained in the game.
Clearly, it wasn’t bothering him, because he still managed to get through seven innings and allow just two runs, both on a homer by Jason Martin.
The next time Ohtani faced Martin, he was in a jam, with runners at first and second and one out.
Ohtani (9-1) demonstrated his ability to increase his velocity when he needs it. He struck out Martin on a 100.4 mph fastball, the first time he’d hit triple-digits in a regular-season game since his first start of the season. (He also did it in the All-Star Game).
Ohtani threw another fastball at 100.5 mph against the next hitter, Loedy Tavares, who grounded out to end the inning.
Ohtani retired all six hitters he faced over the final two innings, on just 22 pitches, but Maddon sent him back to the mound with 92 pitches in the seventh.
Ohtani gave up a bloop single in between two strikeouts. He reached a new career high with his 111th pitch just before walking Yonny Hernandez, bringing up Isiah Kiner-Falefa with the tying run at second.
Pitching coach Matt Wise paid Ohtani a visit, and he responded by getting Kiner-Falefa on a groundout to end the inning.
Ohtani said he was happy that Maddon allowed him the chance to get out of the seventh.
“I thought there was a good chance I’d be taken out there but Joe had faith in me and I’m glad I was able to come out on top,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “I think it’ll definitely help in the future, especially not giving up that last run. That looks really good and I think Joe will have faith to keep putting me out there when I’m past 100 pitches.”
Maddon said he was happy to leave Ohtani out there because of the stuff he had.
“His stuff was really good,” Maddon said. “He gave up the homer, but otherwise great control and command tonight with good stuff. A lot of 97, 98, here came the 100. I thought he had a really good fastball tonight and they kept ticking it, ticking it fouling it off. … He attacked the hitters. He was in the zone where he wanted to be. It was one of his better all-around performances from what I saw tonight.”
Steve Cishek and Raisel Iglesias (30th save) worked the final two innings to preserve the victory for Ohtani, as the three pitchers made the most of a modest offensive performance.
The Angels used aggressive baserunning to score both of their runs in the first inning. David Fletcher stole third with one out, forcing the Rangers to bring the infield in. Phil Gosselin then hit a grounder through the drawn-in infield, driving in Fletcher. Gosselin then stole second and scored a Jared Walsh single against the shift.
Jo Adell’s speed was critical to the go-ahead run in the sixth, too.
Adell beat out an infield hit with two outs. He went to third when Brandon Marsh doubled down the right field line, and he scored on a Max Stassi infield hit.
Shohei Ohtani's strikeout was 100.4 MPH – his fastest pitch in a regular season game since April 4. pic.twitter.com/5skKFbWpun
