The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hits a two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hits a two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani watches the flight of his two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani heads for home plate as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Taylor Ward, left, congratulates Shohei Ohtani after Ohtani hit a two-run home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Mike Trout gestures after hitting a single during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo catches a foul ball hit by the Angels’ Hunter Renfroe, not pictured, for an out and throws to first to pick off Mike Trout, who was leading off of first base, to end the top of the first inning on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels left fielder Taylor Ward dives for a ball hit by the New York Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo for a double during the first inning on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels second baseman Gio Urshela, left, and the New York Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo talk at second base during the first inning on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani reacts after striking out during the third inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone reacts to an umpire’s call during the fourth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez hands the ball to Manager Phil Nevin as he is removed during the fourth inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels relief pitcher Andrew Wantz throws to the plate during the fourth inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani slides past the New York Yankees’ Oswald Peraza, left, as he steals second base during the fifth inning on Tuesday night in New York. Ohtani advanced to third base on an error. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani advances to third base after stealing second throws to the plate during the fifth inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels relief pitcher Jimmy Herget throws to the plate during the seventh inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. Herget retired all six batters he faced on a night when the Angels’ bullpen was superb. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe runs for a single during the ninth inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels relief pitcher Jose Quijada throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels relief pitcher Jose Quijada celebrates after the final out of their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Jose Quijada celebrates after the final out of their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, left, and Jose Quijada celebrate after the final out of their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, left, and center fielder Mike Trout celebrate their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Angels star Shohei Ohtani celebrates after their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
From left, the Angels’ Gio Urshela, Anthony Rendon and Mike Trout celebrate their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Mike Trout, center, celebrates with teammates Anthony Rendon, left, and Gio Urshela after their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Angels relief pitcher Jose Quijada, left, and center fielder Mike Trout celebrate their 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK — The Angels continued a positive pattern while reversing a negative one on Tuesday night.
The Angels took an early lead, as they have done often, but this time the bullpen did its job efficiently, locking up a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees with a relative lack of drama.
Shohei Ohtani’s two-run homer in the first inning put the Angels on the board, marking the 13th time in 17 games that the Angels have scored first. They nonetheless came into this game with a .500 record because the bullpen had failed to hold several of those leads.
This time the relievers got the job done over 17 outs after starter José Suarez lasted just 3-1/3 innings. Andrew Wantz, Jimmy Herget, Jaime Barría and José Quijada combined to allow only one infield hit.
Herget, who was responsible for two of the Angels’ most frustrating blown leads earlier this season, retired all six batters he faced. Quijada recorded his team-leading third save, finishing off the Angels’ second straight victory after they lost the first three on this trip.
Offensively, the top of the lineup performed just as expected.
Taylor Ward led off the game with a double, the first of his two hits, and then Ohtani drilled a two-run homer into the Yankees’ bullpen.
Although Ohtani has had two of the worst games of his career on the mound at Yankee Stadium, he’s now hit four homers in his last eight games here.
“It’s a beautiful field, passionate fans,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “I always look forward to playing here. It’s really fun playing here.”
Manager Phil Nevin shrugged at the suggestion that Ohtani was rising to the occasion of playing on the big stage in New York.
“He thrives in any atmosphere,” Nevin said. “We can put him on a back field, no one’s watching and he’s gonna have the same competitive nature as he does in front of 40,000 at Yankee Stadium. That’s what makes him special, makes him one of the best in the game.”
The Angels increased the lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Mike Trout doubled – his second hit of the game – and scored on an Anthony Rendon single. Hunter Renfroe drove in Rendon with a double.
“The top of our lineup is really good,” Nevin said. “We put pressure on starters from the beginning. I think our game plan going in with (hitting coaches Marcus Thames and Phil Plantier) has been phenomenal. And our guys are taking it into the game. Their cage work beforehand is really paying off, especially early in games.”
A comfortable lead was just what the Angels needed to give some cushion to Suarez, who they hoped could get deep into the game following the bullpen’s seven innings of work on Monday in Boston.
Suarez, however, was not sharp for the third time in three starts.
He walked two in the first, after the Angels had given him a two-run lead. Immediately after the Angels gave him a four-run lead in the fourth inning, he issued his fifth walk of the game. A few batters later he walked his sixth batter, and his night was over.
Two of the runners that Suarez left came around to score. In three starts, he now has a 9.26 ERA, with a WHIP of 2.40.
The Angels have expressed confidence in Suarez, who had a 3.86 ERA over 207-1/3 innings in 2021-22, but his performances early this season have not been encouraging.
“It’s been a struggle,” said Nevin, who had a pointed conversation in the dugout with Suarez. “He’s got to get better. It’s not a secret. But it’s in there. We’ve seen it. With a four-run lead, even with a two-run lead early, you got to go out and attack hitters. The stuff’s too good to pitch around guys. I don’t care where you are in the order. … He’s got to throw more strikes. That’s just the bottom line and he knows it. It will get better.”
Suarez had a 6.35 ERA after his first four starts last season, and he was sent down. He returned and pitched much better in the second half.
“I know I started like this last year,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “I struggled a little bit at the beginning and I started pitching good again. I know I’m going to be good soon.”
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