{"id":2338113,"date":"2026-03-20T05:03:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T05:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2338113"},"modified":"2026-03-20T05:03:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T05:03:29","slug":"minor-leaguer-lucas-ramirez-leads-angels-to-win-in-yusei-kikuchis-return-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/minor-leaguer-lucas-ramirez-leads-angels-to-win-in-yusei-kikuchis-return-orange-county-register\/","title":{"rendered":"Minor leaguer Lucas Ramirez leads Angels to win in Yusei Kikuchi\u2019s return \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THE GAME:<\/strong> Minor leaguer Lucas Ramirez had hits to tie the game and give the Angels the lead, as they beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, on Thursday night in a Cactus League game in Surprise, Ariz.<\/p>\n

PITCHING REPORT:<\/strong> Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi gave up one run in 4\u2154 innings in his first game of the spring with the Angels, after pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Kikuchi walked three and struck out two. He threw 64 pitches, which included a new splitter and cutter that he\u2019s worked to add this offseason. \u201cI wanted to add some vertical movement to my repertoire,\u201d Kikuchi said through his interpreter. Kikuchi said that was his final tune-up before the regular season. He had said earlier this week that he was prepared to throw as many as 80 pitches, but he said the Angels decided to be more conservative and hold down the number. \u2026 Manager Kurt Suzuki said Kikuchi is expected to be full-go to start the second game of the season, in Houston. \u2026 Right-hander Walbert Ure\u00f1a gave up two runs in four innings, finishing the game.<\/p>\n

HITTING REPORT:<\/strong> Ramirez, who had played in the Spring Breakout prospect game earlier in the day, drove in a run with a triple and then came home on a throwing error, tying the score, 3-3, in the eighth. Ramirez then drove in the go-ahead run with a single with two outs in the ninth. Ramirez put himself on the national radar with two home runs for Brazil against Team USA in a pool-play game in the WBC. \u2026 Jo Adell singled, the Angels\u2019 only hit through the first six innings. Adell struck out in his other two trips. Adell is hitting .356 (16 for 45) with an 1.081 OPS. He has 17 strikeouts and no walks this spring. \u2026 Jeimer Candelario drew two walks. He also struck out with two outs and two runners in scoring position in the seventh. \u2026 Logan O\u2019Hoppe was 0 for 2 with a walk. O\u2019Hoppe has two hits in his last 14 at-bats, but his OPS for the spring is still .891. \u2026 With runners at first and second and no outs in the second, Adam Frazier dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Yolmer Sanchez then hit a ground ball to shortstop, which drove in the run, but Chris Taylor was thrown out trying to go to third.<\/p>\n

DEFENSE REPORT:<\/strong> O\u2019Hoppe, the catcher, allowed a wild pitch to get past him on a third strike in the fifth inning, extending the inning. Left-hander Drew Pomeranz ended up striking out the next hitter. \u2026 Catcher Sebastian Rivero couldn\u2019t make the play on a bunt, allowing Jack Pineda to reach on an infield hit. \u2026 Third baseman Donovan Walton went to a knee to field a grounder on his backhand, starting a third-to-first double play. \u2026 Second baseman Oswald Peraza made a diving stop of a ground ball, but he couldn\u2019t get the out at first, allowing a run to score. It was ruled a hit. The Angels had allowed the runner to go to third on a stolen base because Walton was not close enough to the bag.<\/p>\n

UP NEXT:<\/strong> White Sox (RHP Shane Smith) at Angels (RHP Jos\u00e9 Soriano), Friday, 12:10 p.m. PT, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.<\/p>\n