The Los Angeles Angels extended their winning streak to three games with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians, led by another dominant performance from Patrick Sandoval.
The left-hander earned his first win of the season after allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings and collecting nine strikeouts against one walk.
Sandoval now has thrown 15 innings without yielding an earned run to begin his 2022 campaign. He became the first traditional starter in Angels franchise history to not give up an earned run over his first three starts in a season.
Taylor Cole, who now pitches for the Boston Red Sox organization, had four straight scoreless starts as an opener during the 2019 season.
Patrick Sandoval is the first traditional starter in #Angels history to not allow an earned run in each of his first three starts in a season.
(Taylor Cole had four straight scoreless starts as an Opener in 2019) https://t.co/flhORiYEqC
— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) April 27, 2022
Sandoval was selected by the Angels in the 11th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. After being limited to 76 innings in his first two seasons, he took a major step forward last year by posting a 3.62 ERA across 17 appearances (14 starts).
The 25-year-old unfortunately had his season cut short after sustaining a stress fracture in his back. Now healthy again, Sandoval looks poised for a breakout season as one of the Angels’ most important starting pitchers.
Reed: Angels not panicked by Ohtani’s struggles
Amid his offensive struggles to begin the 2022 season, Angels hitting coach Jeremy Reed isn’t concerned about Shohei Ohtani’s lack of production and believes his struggles are being magnified.
While Ohtani has struggled at the plate, he looks like the same dominant pitcher as years past in his first three starts of the season. The 27-year-old is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA, but his 1.18 FIP and 1.05 WHIP with 26 strikeouts against four walks in 14.1 innings pitched suggest he has been fairly unlucky to start his year.
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