Ohtani returned to Angel Stadium as a pitcher for the first time since his Tommy John rehab, but his comeback was tempered by a rising count that forced the Dodgers into a tougher fifth. He logged 4 1/3 innings, 5 earned on 80 pitches, with 50 strikes. A leadoff triple in the first helped set the tone as Los Angeles built a 3-0 lead before weathering Angels’ rally. The night featured a high-velocity dose against Mike Trout, including a run of 98-101 mph heaters and a full-count sweeper to freeze him, underscoring Ohtani’s still-elite but carefully managed return to pitching.

The Dodgers’ bullpen held until the eighth, but Logan O’Hoppe delivered the deciding blow for the Angels with a line-drive single to reclaim the lead, and Kenley Jansen closed for save number 470 as LAA_pulled off a 6-5 win. The result left the Dodgers a game behind San Diego in the NL West, with the Padres winning big earlier in the day. Interleague momentum swung firmly to the Angels, who extended their seven-game win streak against their rival from L.A., while the Padres nudged ahead in the standings and kept the pressure on Los Angeles.