position in only three innings. They were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, including three strikeouts.

The offensive ineptitude spoiled a night in which every Angels pitcher who took the mound acquitted himself well.

Starter Yusei Kikuchi put on a clinic in pitching around trouble in the first three innings.

Kikuchi needed 27 pitches to get through the first, allowing just one run even though he gave up a double, a walk and a single. He also intentionally walked Aaron Judge.

In the second, he threw another 17 pitches. He gave up two more hits and two more walks, including another intentional walk to Judge. This time he escaped with the help of a double play.

After that, he got through the next three innings without much trouble. He issued a walk and retired the other nine hitters.

While Kikuchi only gave up one run, his pitch count reached 93, ending his night after five innings.

The Angels’ Opening Day starter, Kikuchi has not gotten deeper than six innings in any of his 12 starts. That’s mostly been because he’s already walked 35 hitters — three intentionally — in 64 2/3 innings. Last season he walked 44 in 175 2/3 innings.

Robert Stephenson followed Kikuchi to the mound, pitching an impressive inning in his first outing after nearly 14 months rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He last pitched in the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, before the Angels signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal.

Stephenson needed just 12 pitches to retire the side in order, with two strikeouts. The Yankees whiffed on five of their six swings at his slider. His sinker reached 98.5 mph.

The Angels also got strong work from reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, who went through the top of the Yankees’ lineup for a scoreless seventh. He struck out Judge looking to retire the side.

Left-hander Reid Detmers worked a scoreless eighth. Detmers had a three-game nightmare about four weeks ago, but since then he’s allowed one run in his last eight innings, with 11 strikeouts.

Left-hander Brock Burke, who has also been better after a rough start, worked a scoreless ninth.