SAN DIEGO (AP) — Blake Snell helped keep All-Star sluggers Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout in the ballpark, and Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer that sent the disappointing San Diego Padres to a 10-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.
Trout exited with a left wrist injury after fouling off a pitch while leading off the eighth inning. He immediately shook his arm. Angels manager Phil Nevin and a trainer came out to check on the superstar and he left the field.
“I just took a swing and something felt uncomfortable,” Trout said. “Just waiting on getting some scans and hope for the best.
“It doesn’t feel great. I mean, there’s no two ways to it,” the three-time AL MVP added. "Hopefully just a sprained wrist. I can’t describe the pain I felt. I never felt it before, ever, before this. I never had wrist problems or anything. Just freak things.”
Ohtani wasn't able to add to his major league league-leading 31 home runs. He walked twice. Trout, who has 18 homers, walked, had two singles and drove in a run.
In perhaps the biggest at-bat of the night, rookie reliever Tom Cosgrove struck out Ohtani on three straight pitches with two runners on in the sixth, one batter after Trout hit an RBI single to pull the Angels to 4-2. Cosgrove walked Anthony Rendon to load the bases before retiring former Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe on a fly ball to end the threat.
Cosgrove's performance was critical because the Padres' bullpen has had some meltdowns and injuries.
“From a guy that we didn’t know a ton about, even in spring training, to get in here, kind of sparingly using him, feeling him out a little bit, now he's an invaluable guy,” manager Bob Melvin said.
The Angels stranded 14 and went 4 for 16 with runners in scoring position.
“Didn't get a big hit when we needed it," manager Phil Nevin said. “The game should have been a lot different.”
There was an electric atmosphere at Petco Park, mostly due to the presence of Ohtani and Trout, who were cheered by thousands of red-clad Angels fans in the sellout crowd of 45,101.
But the Padres jumped to a 3-0 lead when Bogaerts hit a no-doubt shot to left field off Jaime Barria with two outs in the first. Juan Soto and Manny Machado were aboard for Bogaerts' ninth homer.
Bogaerts was a triple shy of the cycle. Jake Cronenworth drove in three runs and Fernando Tatis Jr. had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run triple.
“Winning any way would’ve been nice, you know, but this is one that I feel like everyone chipped in,” Bogaerts said.
The Padres limped home from a brutal 1-5 road trip to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati that left them eight games under .500 and buried in fourth place in the NL West, 11 1/2 games behind Arizona. With a $250 million payroll and a quartet of superstars, the Padres came into the season with World Series aspirations after making it to the NL Championship Series last year.
Ohtani became a two-way All-Star for the third straight year when he was picked for the American League pitching staff by players on Sunday, 10 days after fans voted him to start at designated hitter. Also on Sunday, Ohtani and Trout homered in the same game for the 30th time, helping the Angels beat Arizona 5-2.
Ohtani was chosen AL Player of the Month for June after having his best month since coming to the majors in 2018. Among his many remarkable stats were 15 home runs, the most in a month in Angels history, and he became the first player in 10 years to reach 30 homers before July 1.
Luis Rengifo homered for the Angels off Tim Hill in the seventh, his fifth. Rengifo had three hits.
Snell (5-7) held the Angels to seven hits while striking out seven and walking four in five innings. The left-hander was selected NL Pitcher of the Month for June after going 3-1 with a 0.87 ERA.
Barria (2-4) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings, struck out five and walked none.
WELCOME BACK
Nevin played for the Padres from 1999 until being traded to Texas in August 2005. He said he's only been back to Petco Park a handful of times.
“It's special. A lot of great memories for me,” said Nevin, who has a home in suburban Poway.
He said he drove past the old Qualcomm Stadium site in Mission Valley, where the Padres used to play.
“It's torn down now but there's a nice little football stadium there for the Aztecs,” he said.
On Sept. 24, 1989, Nevin kicked four field goals for Cal State Fullerton against San Diego State at then-Jack Murphy Stadium, including a 22-yarder as time expired for a 41-41 tie.
“That was a fun night," he said.
SKOL
Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He's a San Diego-area native and played quarterback at SDSU.
UP NEXT
In a marquee matchup, Ohtani (7-3, 3.02 ERA) will face RHP Joe Musgrove (6-2, 3.80) on Tuesday afternoon. In his last start on the mound, Ohtani became the first American League pitcher in nearly 60 years to hit two homers and strike out 10 batters in a game during a 4-2 win against the Chicago White Sox.
