By Kahlil Najar

Anaheim – The Oakland Athletics (10-4) defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (6-8), 10-9 Tuesday night in extra innings on a game winning double by Josh Donaldson in the top of the 11th.

A’s starting pitcher Dan Straily struggled as he gave up seven hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings and was only able to strike out one. A collective of five other A’s pitchers came in to seal the win with the winning pitcher being the recently relieved closer Jim Johnson (2-2). Johnson threw for two innings and only surrendered one hit.

“Jim Johnson was terrific,” said Oakland manager Bob Melvin. “That was huge. I didn’t have Gregerson or Abad tonight, so it was his game. He knew it, and that was impressive.”

Donaldson echoed his coaches sentiments on Johnson. “It’s so early… so quick to jump to any conclusions about a guy. He didn’t save 100 games the past two years for no reason. The guy’s good.”

The Angels took the first lead of the game when Mike Trout drove home Kole Calhoun on a double to left field. Then two batters later, Howie Kendrick smacked a single to center and drove in Trout to give the Angels a 2-0 lead.

The A’s took the lead from the Angels in the third when Eric Sogard got his first hit of the game and drove in Josh Reddick who had walked to start off the inning. Jaso followed with a ground out to first but was able to score Gentry from third and Jed Lowrie got his second double of the year and drove in Sogard to make it a 3-2 Oakland lead.

In the fourth the Angels put up a four spot on a double from Chris Iannetta and homer to Kole Calhoun and gave the Angels the lead again 6-3.

The A’s the scored six unanswered runs with clutch hitting again from Sogard, Brandon Moss, Alberto Callaspo and Derek Norris to make it a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, Howie Kendrick was walked by Ryan Cook and then Dan Otero gave up back to back singles with the scoring hit going to David Freese and made it a 9-7 Oakland lead.

After a scoreless top of the ninth for the A’s, Sean Doolittle was up to face Calhoun. On a full count, Calhoun took Doolittle’s fastball to left field and landed himself at second and brought up Mike Trout who represented the tying run. Then on the fourth pitch of his at bat, Trout took the ball deep and out to left center field and tied the game at nine a piece.

“I threw a thigh-high fastball in the middle — that’s never good,” said Doolittle, “There’s nothing to say. I messed that up.”

After a scoreless tenth, Lowrie came up for the A’s in the 11th and hit a line drive single to left field and brougt up the streaking Donladson.  On the very first pitch, Donaldson smacked his fourth double fo the year to left field and scored Lowrie from first and gave the A’s a 10-9 lead.  Jim Johnson grabbed three ground outs and sealed the victory for the A’s.

The A’s go for the sweep on Wednesday when they send Tommy Milone to the mound against Tyler Skaggs.