Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani catches a throw to the mound during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani prepares to bat during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani waits for a pitch during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani follows through on a swing during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani stands on the mound during the second inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Houston Astros’ Corey Julks steals second base ahead of a throw to Angels second baseman Brandon Drury during the second inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani waits for the next batter during the third inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros’ Alex Bregman singles during the third inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani stands on the mound during the third inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Zach Neto celebrates in the dugout after hitting his first major league home run during the third inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Zach Neto celebrates in the dugout after hitting his first major league home run during the third inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani examines a ball during the fourth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani stands on the field during the fourth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani lines out during the fourth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani lines out during the fourth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Houston Astros’ Martin Maldonado circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani tosses a ball on the mound during the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Houston Astros’ David Hensley scores past Angels catcher Chris Okey on a two-run home run by Martin Maldonado during the fifth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani shows his frustration after giving up a two-run home run to the Houston Astros’ Martin Maldonado during the fifth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. Ohtani gave up three runs in seven innings. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros’ Martin Maldonado, left, celebrates with Jake Meyers after they both scored on Maldonado’s two-run home run during the fifth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani shows his frustration after giving up a two-run home run to the Houston Astros’ Martin Maldonado during the fifth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. Ohtani gave up three runs in seven innings. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, is visited on the mound by interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, center, catcher Chris Okey and pitching coach Matt Wise, right, during the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, is visited on the mound by interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, center, catcher Chris Okey and pitching coach Matt Wise, right, during the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani leaves the field after the top of the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani leaves the field after the top of the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani leaves the field after the top of the fifth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani takes a lead off of first base during the sixth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez, center, and his teammates talk things over on the mound during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Andrew Wantz throws to the plate during the eighth inning of their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez throws to the plate during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, left, relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55), designated hitter David Hensley (17) and catcher Martin Maldonado, right, celebrate after their 3-1 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers, left, relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55), catcher Martin Maldonado, and left fielder Corey Julks, right, celebrate after their 3-1 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels center fielder Mike Trout laughs while signing autographs before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels center fielder Mike Trout weams up during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo takes batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon warms up during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo warms up during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels manager Phil Nevin speaks to reporters in the dugout before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels center fielder Mike Trout looks on during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo takes batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo warms up during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels center fielder Mike Trout weams up during batting practice before their game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
ANAHEIM — When Shohei Ohtani was looking back at a performance that was not quite good enough to outduel Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez in the Angels’ 3-1 loss on Tuesday night, his regrets went beyond the few bad pitches that he threw.
“I felt like I had some at-bats to help us score some runs and I failed,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “More than the pitching side, I think about my at-bats against a real good pitcher like that.”
Ohtani was hitless in his first two trips against Valdez, and he reached on a catcher’s interference the third time. The Angels managed just three hits in eight innings against Valdez, with their only run coming on Zach Neto’s first major league homer. The Angels struck out 12 times against Valdez.
“There weren’t too many pitches to hit,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “I thought we took good swings at the ones we actually did have a chance to hit, but only a few here and there. One of his better games I think that I’ve seen, and I’ve seen him throw some good ones.”
Ohtani gave up three runs in seven innings, two of them coming after a four-pitch walk to No. 8 hitter Jake Meyers and then a two-run homer by Martin Maldonado in the fifth. Although it went down as Ohtani’s first loss of the season, and included a few pitches that he’d like back, it was nonetheless a better performance for Ohtani than his uncharacteristic previous outings.
Ohtani gave up five and four runs against the Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively. The Angels still won both of those games.
“The long balls have been hurting me the last few starts,” said Ohtani, who has allowed five homers in the three games.
Ohtani had never allowed more than two runs in three straight games, so his history indicated he would be better.
For the first four innings, Ohtani was sailing along, efficiently working through the Astros. He needed just 54 pitches to record the first 12 outs and allowed only one hit.
In the fifth, Corey Julks led off with a drive that left fielder Taylor Ward caught at the fence. Meyers then drew a four-pitch walk. The Astros’ Maldonado, who had been Ohtani’s batterymate during his rookie season in 2018, worked a 3-and-2 count and then Ohtani hung a sweeper over the middle of the plate, and Maldonado hit a two-run homer. It was just the second homer of the season for Maldonado, who carried a .496 OPS into the game.
The Astros turned two bloop hits and a Yordan Alvarez opposite-field single into another run and a 3-1 lead.
After that, Ohtani responded with two more scoreless innings on just 22 pitches, but too much damage had already been done for the Angels to beat Valdez.
“He looked good,” said Hunter Renfroe, who struck out all three times against Valdez. “He had made good pitches, stayed out the middle of the zone for the most part. Had the curveball and cutter working. If you stay out of the middle of the zone, you’re going to miss a lot of hard contact, so he did a good job.”
Neto hit his first career homer when Valdez left a fastball over the middle of the plate in the third inning. The opposite-field shot gave the Angels a 1-0 lead.
“When I hit it, I touched all the bases and my adrenaline started pumping and I couldn’t really feel my body,” Neto said. “It was one of those things. Did that just happen for real?”
After that, the Angels didn’t have another hit until the sixth. Mike Trout singled and then Ohtani reached on a catcher’s interference, but Anthony Rendon struck out on three pitches to strand both.
