by Jerry Feitelberg

A’s lose an opportunity to tie Boston

The Los Angeles Angels’ Jason Vargas shut down the powerful offense of the Oakland Athletics Tuesday night by beating the A’s 3-0. Vargas pitched a complete game allowing just four hits, all singles. Vargas’ record improved to 9-7 for the season. The loss went to A.J.Griffin. Griffin went five innings giving up three runs and five hits. Griffin struck out seven an walked one. Griffin’s record drops to 14-10. The A’s missed a golden opportunity to tie the Boston Red Sox for the best record in the American League. The Red Sox lost to the Colorado Rockies Tuesday night by a score of 8-3 and the A’s knew the Sox had lost but just couldn’t manage to do anything against Vargas. It was a classic case of good pitching shutting down good hitting and Vargas won the battle for the Angels.

The game summary follows below.

The Angels took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Howie Kendrick hit a solo home run

off Griffin. Griffin has thrown 36 gopher balls this season and he leads the American League in that department.

The Angels scored two more runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Tommy Field and J.B.Schuck singled. Griffin walked Mike Trout to load the bases. Josh Hamilton followed with a single

to give the Angels a 3-0 lead.

That was all the Angels would need to win the game. Final score 3-0 in favor of LA.

Notes- The A’s have four games left. Their record is 94-64 and they trail Boston by one game for the best record in the AL. The road doesn’t get any easier for the A’s as they face the Angels’ ace, Jared Weaver on Wednesday and then travel to Seattle where King Felix Hernandez will go for the Mariners

on Friday night. Both pitchers have done well against the A’s in their careers.

Game time will be at 12:35 pm in Anaheim.