Throughout the late innings, one Angel after another did something wrong, each followed by a teammate who bailed him out.
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The young left-hander stumbled Tuesday night, allowing five runs over 5 2/3 innings, and the Oakland Athletics lost to the Los Angeles Angles 5-4.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill).
The Angels’ unhittable phenom, who gradually worked his way from the sixth to the ninth innings on a two-month string of strikeouts and scoreless innings, endured a closer’s rite of passage. He singled in his first at-bat Wednesday and finished 1-for-3 with a bases-loaded walk.
The Angels’ eighth inning around the horn double play was especially impressive, as Yunel Escobar’s throw skipped to Pennington, who scooped the throw and made a fast relay throw to first to complete the play.
He went deep off Oakland starter Jesse Hahn to lead off the second inning, then hit a three-run homer off Hahn in the third to give the Angels a 5-2 lead.Hahn yielded five runs on seven hits in four innings.The A’s rallied for three runs in the fourth inning against Nolasco to tie the game at 5-5, then took a 6-5 lead in the seventh on Crisp’s RBI double.In the eighth inning, the Angels put two runners on with one out. Morin got the victory for his two-pitch performance.The Angels’ offense helped offset a shaky but gritty start by Jered Weaver, who battled his way through six innings. Danny Valencia and Tyler Ladendorf singled before Alonso’s double to centre scored Valencia with the go-ahead run. The A’s added a run on Marcus Semien’s RBI hit.
“I was obviously very disappointed making that blunder right there”, Alonso said.
Shoemaker (6-11) allowed two runs, six hits and three walks.
“Those were two key spots where we’re talking about situational at-bats and getting an extra run, maybe two”, manager Bob Melvin said. “To be honest, I prayed to every god that I would get an opportunity and a chance to redeem myself and help my team win, and I was fortunate enough to get that opportunity”. Johnny Giavotella sent a grounder to first base that Alonso bobbled, allowing Giavotella to reach safely and Marte to beat the throw home and tie the game.
“It’s a hard-hit ball from a righty. Those cost you in close games”. Trout got a glove on the ball but couldn’t hold on.
Melvin was particularly happy with how Zach Neal, Dull and Madson performed out of the bullpen, saying he hadn’t planned on using Madson in a situation like that or using Dull at all after he had pitched in Wednesday’s game. The Angels have been the better of the two sides recently and while the pitching matchup is a wash I will side with the better lineup and that still has to be LA. “Zach Neal was huge for us today”. Angels’ left fielder Ji-Man Choi, who’d homered in his first two tries, went to the opposite field in an effort for a third bomb. Yonder Alonso, Billy Butler, Crisp, Vogt and Ryon Healy had two hits apiece for Oakland. Coco Crisp’s one-out double off the wall in right-center drove in Smolinksi to put the A’s ahead.
Oakland had leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2 before the Angels tied the game in the fourth on homers by Jefry Marte and Cliff Pennington.
The 48-60 A’s would have fallen three games behind the fourth-place Angels (49-59) if they’d lost this one. “This was my first major league multi-hit game, so it’s very insane to do it in front of my family”.
The A’s trailed by three runs early in the game but managed to rally, avoid a three-game sweep and end their five-game losing streak.
The A’s actually did what they wanted to against Shoemaker, working him for three walks and six hits in seven innings.
Athletics: RHP Henderson Alvarez was checked for thoracic outlet syndrome this week but a specialist, Dr. Greg Pearl, found no evidence of the condition. It’s increasingly doubtful Alvarez will be able to pitch before next year after having shoulder surgery a year ago July.
The Angels have had a disappointing campaign and have spoiled another great year from superstar outfielder Mike Trout but they could be a team primed for a rebound next season if they can address some holes in the offseason and have a few of their own develop quickly.
Athletics: LHP Dillon Overton (1-2, 9.33 ERA) will face the Chicago White Sox at home in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday.
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Angels: RHP Tim Lincecum (2-5, 8.49 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season for the Angels when they open a series in Seattle.
