Clarke Schmidt and three relievers combined to shut out the Los Angeles Angels on five hits in the New York Yankees’ 1-0 victory Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Schmidt (2-2) threw six scoreless innings and was followed by Ian Hamilton (1 2/3 innings), Tim Hill (1/3 inning) and Mark Leiter Jr. (one inning, second save) to help the Yankees complete a three-game sweep. It was their fifth win in a row.
The loss was the fifth straight for the Angels, the club totaling just five runs during that time, including being shut out twice. The losing streak comes on the heels of an eight-game winning streak, during which they scored 61 runs.
The only run of the game came home on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Volpe in the first inning. Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham each had two hits for New York. Aaron Judge went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and two intentional walks.
The Yankees made things difficult for Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi in the first and second innings, getting four hits and four walks but they were able to only push across one run.
Goldschmidt led off the game with a double, and one out later, Judge was intentionally walked. Kikuchi followed with a walk to Cody Bellinger, loading the bases.
Volpe’s fly ball to center was deep enough to score Goldschmidt from third, but that’s all the Yankees could muster, Kikuchi getting the final out of the inning and leaving the bases loaded.
Kikuchi got a key double play in the second inning but still found himself issuing another intentional walk to Judge and facing Bellinger with the bases loaded and two out. Bellinger popped out to left field, and Kikuchi was ultimately able to get through five innings without allowing another run.
In all, Kikuchi (1-5) gave up one run on four hits and five walks in five innings, making 93 pitches and striking out four. Despite only one win in 12 starts this season, he leads the Angels’ starters in ERA (3.06), strikeouts (58) and innings pitched (64 2/3).
–Field Level Media
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