Durable Alex Cobb helps Angels beat Orioles

ANAHEIM ― The Baltimore Orioles took the bat out of Shohei Ohtani’s hands Saturday.

The rest of the Angels made them pay.

Alex Cobb made the longest start by an Angels pitcher this season, and the Angels took advantage of eight walks ― three by Ohtani ― en route to a 4-1 win over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 28,160 at Angel Stadium.

Cobb allowed four hits, walked one batter, and struck out six in 7 2/3 innings. He became the Angels’ first starter to throw a pitch in the eighth inning of a game since Dylan Bundy on Sept. 10 of last season. The Orioles got their only run on a walk, a single, and an RBI groundout in the third inning.

Cobb was more consistent than overpowering. His sinker consistently sat 93 mph from the first inning to the eighth. All four hits he allowed were singles, and two did not leave the infield. Twice, he got Anthony Santander to ground into a double play. Baltimore batted only three times with a runner in scoring position, going 0-for-3.

Since returning from a finger blister on May 20, Cobb’s starts have been either feast or famine. Five have seen the right-hander allow 0 or 1 earned runs. In the other three, he’s allowed no fewer than 5 runs. This time, he pitched better than any Angels starter has all year.

The Angels needed it. Ohtani was their last pitcher to throw six innings, back on June 23.

The win evened the Angels’ record at 41-41. They can complete a three-game sweep of Baltimore (27-56) with a win in the series finale Sunday.

David Fletcher extended his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest of his career and the longest by any player this season. Ohtani went 0-for-2 but drew three walks, including two that were intentional. Jared Walsh had two of the Angels’ eight hits as a team.

The Angels got all the runs they would need in the first inning against right-hander Jorge Lopez, who loaded the bases on two walks and a single.

An infield single by Jared Walsh, and an RBI groundout by Phil Gosselin, scored Fletcher and Ohtani with the first two runs.

Juan Lagares’ RBI double scored Jose Iglesias with an insurance run in the second inning.

Walsh scored on a Phil Gosselin single in the fifth.

Raisel Iglesias converted his second save in as many days, giving him 16 this season.

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