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Tigers vs. Angels Game Highlights (6/17/21) | MLB Highlights

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Shohei Ohtani led the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on June 17, 2021, behind a dominant two-way performance.

Playing before a capacity crowd of 30,709 at Angel Stadium, Ohtani earned his third win of the season while Taylor Ward provided the offensive spark with his first career grand slam. The victory snapped a three-game winning streak for the Tigers and featured the major league debut of Detroit right-hander Matt Manning.

• Shohei Ohtani pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk, while also recording a .270 batting average with 19 home runs on the season.
• The Angels broke a 2-1 game open with a five-run seventh inning, punctuated by Taylor Ward’s grand slam, before Raisel Iglesias secured his 12th save.
• Tigers rookie Matt Manning allowed two runs across five innings in his major league debut.

Ohtani’s Strategic Mound Presence

Shohei Ohtani controlled the game for six innings on 78 pitches, relying heavily on his slider to keep the Tigers’ offense in check. While he touched 98.6 mph with his fastball, the shift away from his signature splitter proved effective in limiting Detroit to a single run—a solo home run by Jonathan Schoop. Angels manager Joe Maddon purposefully limited Ohtani’s pitch count to prioritize his long-term health during his high-production season.

Maddon praised Ohtani’s ‘complete game of baseball,’ stating he limited Ohtani’s pitch count to avoid jeopardizing his health during what Maddon hoped would be ‘one of the greatest seasons ever.’

Offensive Surge and Late-Game Defense

The score remained tight until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Angels ignited a decisive five-run rally. The surge was capped by Taylor Ward’s first career grand slam, which provided the cushion necessary to withstand a late-game scare from Detroit. The Tigers mounted a comeback attempt, scoring three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth against the Angels’ bullpen, but Raisel Iglesias ultimately held firm to close out the contest.

The Tigers will look to avoid a sweep in Sunday’s series finale, where they are slated to start Tarik Skubal against the Angels’ pitching staff to conclude their stay in Anaheim before returning to the American League Central for their next series.