Instant Replay: Angels 6, Athletics 1

Share

BOX SCORE

OAKLANDBrandon Moss solo shot was the only damage the As could do against Zack Greinke, as they fell to the Angels 6-1 to lose consecutive games for the first time since dropping three straight from August 12-15.Starting pitching reportJarrod Parker worked around a two-out double by Albert Pujols in the first inning, then got three straight groundouts in a quick second. He gave up a two-out single to rookie phenom Mike Trout, but struck out Torii Hunter to end the third inning. Parker worked around another single in a scoreless fourth and was at 59 pitches on the evening after putting up four straight zeroes in the line score.Heading into Tuesdays game, Parker had allowed 19 of his 59 runs (32.2) in the fifth inning. He had a 7.59 ERA in the fifth frame compared to a 3.03 mark in all others. The rookie ran into trouble in the fifth Tuesday as well, as the Angels scored the first run of the game on three singles.Alberto Callaspo led off the fifth with a single, then advanced to third on Chris Iannettas one-out single to center, where Coco Crisps arm doesnt compare to the cannons possessed by the corner outfielders that flank him, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick. Trout came through with his second single of the game to plate Callaspo before Parker struck out Hunter and induced a fly ball from Pujols to keep the Angels from putting up a crooked number.Parker struggled in the sixth as well, giving up back-to-back singles to Kendrys Morales and Howie Kendrick to open the frame. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Morales trotted home from third on Callaspos sacrifice fly to deep center.Parker struck out Hunter to close out a scoreless seventh, but with 104 pitches on the evening, 69 for strikes, Melvin elected to go to his bullpen in the eighth.Parkers pitching line: 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K.The walk-less outing gave the rookie 14 starts with two free passes or less.Bullpen reportSean Doolittle relieved Parker to open the eighth and was rudely greeted by Pujols, who hit a line drive off the left-handers shin and into left-centerfield for a base hit. After striking out Morales, Doolittle almost got out of the inning with a ground ball to shortstop, but Stephen Drew and Cliff Pennington couldnt get the ball back to first fast enough. That came back to haunt Doolittle and the As after the Angels followed with a double and a single to add two more insurance runs for a 4-1 lead.With a man on and two outs, Doolittle gave way to right-hander Evan Scribner, who put the rally to rest by getting Vernon Wells to pop out to Pennington at second.Jim Miller, recalled from Stockton before the game, issued a leadoff walk to Iannetta and a one-out walk to Hunter. He got Pujols to fly out to right before As manager Bob Melvin turned the ball over to left-hander Jerry Blevins to face the switch-hitter Morales with two outs. Morales hit a double to the left-centerfield gap off Blevins that scored both Angel runners. One run was charged to Miller and the other was deemed unearned due to an error charged to shortstop Stephen Drew for bobbling Yoenis Cespedes relay throw.At the plateOther than Seth Smiths gap shot for a double in the third inning, the As managed just two duck snort singles to right against Zack Greinke in the first six innings.Entering the seventh, the As trailed 2-0 and had mustered just three hits and a walk with four strikeouts against the Angels midseason acquisition. But Brandon Moss cut the deficit in half by waiting on an 0-1 curveball and sending it over the 388 sign in left-centerfield to start the seventh. The bomb didnt faze Greinke, though, as he rebounded to work around a one-out walk to Stephen Drew and complete the inning.Greinke gave way to left-hander Scott Downs in the eighth, but the As looked just as lifeless at the plate. Coco Crisp led off with a routine grounder to short, pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes struck out looking and Josh Reddick hit a towering fly ball to shallow right for a 1-2-3 inning.The As faced a five-run deficit in the ninth and went to work against former Oakland closer Jason Isringhausen. Three Tommy John surgeries didnt appear to faze the 39-year-old right-hander, as he set the As down in order to end the game. Yoenis Cespedes grounded out to second, Moss followed with another ball on the ground to first, and Josh Donaldson flew out to right to end the game in a brief two hours and 52 minutes.In fieldStephen Drew backpedaled to feed Cliff Pennington at second in an attempt to start what wouldve been a spectacular double play. Howie Kendrick beat the relay throw, according to first base umpire Chad Fairchild, but half of the As defenders were already headed to the dugout.On the basesNone of the As five total baserunners attempted a theft against Angels catcher Chris Iannetta.AttendanceThe As announced a crowd of 11,688 on the 10th anniversary of their 20th consecutive win.Up nextThe As wrap up their series with the Angels in a Wednesday matinee at the Coliseum. Right-hander Brandon McCarthy (8-5, 3.10 ERA) will oppose former Athletic Dan Haren (9-10, 4.58 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. in the series finale.

Contact Us