Shohei Ohtani throws a gem, but Angels give little help in loss to Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani looked sharp, but neither received nor contributed run support in the Angels’ 2-0 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday at Angel Stadium.

Over seven innings, Ohtani, who took the loss, struck out 12 batters, giving up just one run and five hits, with two walks in 101 pitches. It was his first double-digit strikeout game since May 27, when he had 10 against the Miami Marlins.

At the plate, the Angels’ two-way star went 0 for 3 with a walk.

The run Ohtani gave up was a homer by Freddie Freeman in the fourth inning.

Ohtani strayed from his usual sweeper-heavy pitch mix, throwing the pitch just 12 times.

He instead relied heavily on his fastball, which topped out at 100.3 mph, and his cutter.

Urshela likely done for season

Angels infielder Gio Urshela (pelvis fracture) met with another specialist, and the news he received, manager Phil Nevin said, was good, all things considered.

“He does not need surgery on it, but it’s still going to be quite some time,” Nevin said.

Urshela must spend six weeks keeping his body weight off the injury. After that, it will be another six weeks of building up to baseball activities.

“In essence, he’s probably done for the year,” Nevin said.

Urshela was signed in the offseason with the thought he could play somewhere in the infield. In his 62 games, he was the only Angel to play all four infield positions. He was batting .299 with a .703 on-base-plus-slugging rate.

Angels’ Gio Urshela bats against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning on June 2 in Houston.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

As a natural third baseman, Urshela was a particularly valuable offseason acquisition because he could step in when Anthony Rendon needed a day off or a stint on the injured list. Urshela played more than half of his games (37) at third base.

Rendon (left wrist contusion) went on the 10-day IL on Monday, getting hurt in the same game as Urshela. For now, the Angels’ big league options at third base are Luis Rengifo, Brandon Drury and Kevin Padlo. There is no update on Rendon’s timeline to return.

More injury updates

Nevin said he was encouraged with veteran left-handed relief pitcher Matt Moore’s bullpen session before Wednesday’s game. The plan is for Moore (oblique strain) to travel to Colorado with the team and throw either another bullpen session or a simulated game Saturday.

If he feels fine after that, he could be activated during the next homestand. Moore went on the 15-day IL on May 28, retroactive to May 25.

Rookie right-handed reliever Ben Joyce (ulnar neuritis) still has some soreness in his wrist, Nevin said, but when that subsides, the team can work out a throwing program. Joyce, who went on the 15-day IL on June 10, has been responding to treatments and progressing as well as hoped.

Rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe (torn labrum) started playing light catch on the field Tuesday and did so again before Wednesday’s game, the latest progression of his injury recovery. He’ll rest Thursday, then continue the same cycle — light catch for two days and rest one day.

“I woke up with a smile on my face because I feel like I can actually do something now,” O’Hoppe said Wednesday.

There was still no word on whether O’Hoppe, who was expected to return in four to six months, could return closer to the four-month mark.