by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s stopped in Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels Monday night. The A’s beat the Angels 6-3 and are now 7-7 for 2015. This was the seventh game of a ten game road trip and the A’s are 4-3. Kendall Graveman made his third start of the year and it was a tough start for the young righty. Graveman went three-plus innings giving up three runs on seven hits.  Dan Otero was brought in to pitch in the fourth after Graveman allowed the first two hitters to reach. Otero threw four scoreless innings and was credited with the win. Evan Scribner and Tyler Clippard also kept the Angels off the board. The Angels’ starter, Matt Shoemaker also went three-plus innings. Shoemaker allowed seven hits and five runs and took the loss. Shoemaker is 2-1 for the year. The Angels’ season record drops to 5-8.

The A’s took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Super Sam Fuld walked to start the inning. Fuld stole second and went to third on a Billy Butler single. Fuld then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ike Davis. The lead didn’t last long as the Angels scored twice in their half of the first. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols singled to put men on at first and second. A’s first baseman, Ike Davis, made a sensational play getting the out on Matt Joyce but the runners advanced to second and third and they both scored on a David Freese single. Angels lead 2-1 after one.

The A’s regained the lead in the third. Sam Fuld doubled and Mark Canha reached on an infield singled to put two men on for Stephen Vogt. Vogt hit an off-speed pitch into the right field bleachers to put the A’s up 4-2. It was Vogt’s fourth home run of the year. The Angels cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third. Mike Trout singled and then stole second. Albert Pujols drove him in with a single to make it a 4-3 game. For Pujols, the  run batted in was the 1610th of his career moving the future Hall-of-Famer into 33rd place all-time.

There was no more scoring until the ninth. The A’s picked up insurance run to take a 6-3 lead. Eric Sogard doubled to lead off . Sogard took third on a long fly to right and then scored on a sacrifice fly. Final score 6-3 in favor of Oakland.

Notes- The Oakland bullpen of Otero, Scribner, and Clippard pitched six innings of scoreless ball allowing just one hit. Stephen Vogt has 4 home runs and 12 runs batted in to lead the A’s. LHP Drew Pomeranz will pitch for Oakland.

The A’s and Angels play game 2 of the 4 game series Tuesday evening in Anaheim at 7:05pm