By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, August 28, 2014

A sacrifice fly by Howie Kendrick snapped a tie in the bottom of the 10th inning Thursday, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics in the first game of a key weekend series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

With the win, the Angels moved back into first place in the American League West by one game over Oakland.

Kendrick’s sac fly to right field drove in Albert Pujols, who led off the Angels 10th with a walk. Pujols advanced to third on Josh Hamilton’s single to right.

A’s reliever Ryan Cook (1-2) surrendered the game-winning run without retiring a batter. Fernando Salas (5-0) pitched a scoreless 10th to earn the win.

Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead in the first inning against A’s starter Sonny Gray, but the Athletics fought back with a pair of runs in the fifth. Brandon Moss scored on an error, and Coco Crisp drove in Geovany Soto with a base hit.

In the top of the sixth, Josh Donaldson homered to left, tying the game at 3-3.

In Friday night’s game, Jon Lester (13-8) is on the mound for Oakland, facing Jered Weaver (14-7) for the Angels. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

A’s ACORNS: Prior to the game, the Athletics recalled RHP Evan Scribner from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned LHP Drew Pomeranz to Single-A Beloit. As the River Cats’ closer, Scribner was 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 16 saves. The Pomeranz demotion is more of a paperwork move that would allow him to return to the A’s when the rosters expand on Sept. 1. Pomeranz is between starts.