ANAHEIM ― The primary task of a leadoff hitter is to get on base. Ten years ago, the Angels found someone who was well-suited to the task.

Ironically, Mike Trout has not batted leadoff on a regular basis since his historic 2012 season, when he won the American League Rookie of the Year award. All he’s done since is lead the major leagues in on-base percentage ― a .419 clip entering Friday.

It’s early in his tenure, but Taylor Ward is fast becoming the leadoff hitter the team has been searching for since Trout became a staple in the middle of the lineup. Ward, the reigning American League Player of the Week, drew three walks in four plate appearances in the Angels’ 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday.

Ward began the night by drawing a full count against Washington right-hander Joan Adon (1-5), then laid off a fastball just above his belt for ball four. Ward took second base on a single by Trout, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, then scored on a routine groundout by Shohei Ohtani.

That run proved to be the game-winner before an announced crowd of 41,923 at Angel Stadium. Rookie left-hander Jhonathan Diaz (1-0), making his 2022 debut in place of recently demoted starter Jose Suarez, threw five shutout innings and the bullpen held down the fort.

Ward had only two extra-base hits when Manager Joe Maddon penciled him into the leadoff slot for the first time on April 25 against Cleveland. Coincidentally, Ward hit two home runs that night, but Maddon said plate discipline “really factored in” to the decision to bat Ward first.

“It doesn’t bruise his ego to not get a hit, or at least try to get a hit,” Maddon said of Ward. “That chip was inserted at birth and it’s really working well right now. That’s just who he is. That kind of hitter is always sought after in any era, but particularly in today’s game.”

Ward walked more often than he struck out as a junior at Fresno State in 2015; the Angels made him their first-round draft pick that year. He reached base at a .400 clip or better each of the last three years at Triple-A Salt Lake, prompting a call-up to the big leagues each season.

But Ward has hit leadoff only sporadically in his career.

“I’m never really looking to walk, but if it happens I like it,” he said. “On-base percentage and the whole bit, I dig it.”

So does Trout.

“I love being in the box when guys are on base, and (Ward)’s been doing a great job,” Trout said. “Just has to stick with his approach. He’s getting an opportunity to play every day, trusting the routine he does every day, and coming in and doing it. It’s fun to watch.”

Oliver Ortega, Ryan Tepera, Aaron Loup and Raisel Iglesias allowed only one baserunner over the final four innings. Iglesias recorded his seventh save. Along with their win Thursday in Boston, the Angels have now thrown back-to-back shutouts for the first time since July 15-16, 2016.

The combined four-hit shutout lifted the Angels (18-10) eight games above .500 for the first time since June 10, 2018.

Diaz allowed a double to Cesar Hernandez on the first pitch he threw, but quickly proved adept at working in and out of trouble. Juan Soto hit Diaz’s second pitch of the game 105 mph to left field, but Brandon Marsh scarcely needed to move to catch it. Josh Bell then walked on four pitches. The next batter, Nelson Cruz, grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Diaz surrendered three hits and four walks in five innings. He used an assortment of changeups, sinkers, sliders, curveballs and the occasional 92-mph fastball to strike out four.

Ward’s third walk of the game, in his third plate appearance, had a similar impact to his first. With Tyler Wade and David Fletcher already aboard, Ward laid off an outside fastball from Adon on a 3-and-2 count to load the bases for Trout.

Adon got ahead of Trout 0-and-2, but Trout smoked a middle-middle fastball off the center-field wall for a double. Wade and Fletcher scored, padding the Angels’ lead to 3-0.

Only one Angel has batted more than 25 times out of the leadoff slot and reach base at a .350 clip or better since 2013: Ohtani, who is now entrenched as the number-3 hitter behind Trout.

Ward said he relishes the task of “doing damage” on the game’s first pitch. Still, a game like Friday’s does not register as a disappointment. Ward said he focuses less on working the count than he does his singular strategy for each pitch.

“You kind of take what they give you,” he said. “Try not to think about it, battle throughout the at-bat, and in the end ― there’s times I don’t even know the count, I’m so locked in to what’s going on. (The umpire) might say ‘Ball four,’ and I’m like ‘oh.’

“So, it doesn’t necessarily matter. I just like to keep every situation the same. It’s easier for me that way.”