Shohei Ohtani hit two three-run homers, including a dramatic tying drive in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Whit Merrifield led off the 11th inning with an RBI double, and the Royals overcame Ohtani’s historic performance for a 12-11 victory Tuesday night.
He drove in a career-high eight runs, the most by a Japanese-born player in major league history, giving him the biggest RBI game of his five-year stateside career.
Carlos Santana had four hits and drove in a season-high five runs for the Royals, who battered the Angels’ staff despite losing slugger Salvador Perez to a thumb injury in the third inning.
Ohtani (5-4, 3.28 ERA) looks to string together three straight mound victories in the series finale against Kansas City’s Daniel Lynch (3-6, 5.19) at 8:50.