by Jerry Feitelberg

In a dramatic reversal of fortune, the Oakland A’s rebounded from a pummeling at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels last night, to trounce the Angels 9-2  Wednesday night in Anaheim and even their record at 8-8. The Angels’ record drops to 6-9.

It was a battle of the aces Wednesday night. The A’s Sonny Gray seeking his second win of the year entered the game with an ERA of 2.11 and he was opposed by the Angels’ Jered Weaver. Weaver’s record this year is 0-2 with an ERA of 6.61 before the start of the game. Weaver won 18 games last year for the Angels, but the team was concerned about the drop in velocity as his fastball barely went beyond 82 or 83 miles per hour. It was, however, a terrific pitching duel between Gray and Weaver. Weaver went six innings, allowing 8 hits with 3 strikeouts and no walks. Sonny Gray simply outpitched as he went 7 innings giving up just one run and two hits. Gray struck out 7 and walked 2 but retired the last 14 Angel batters that he faced. Gray received credit for the win.

The A’s took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Sam Fuld singled and stole second. The Angels challenged the call on the steal, but the call was not reversed. Stephen Vogt singled and Fuld took third. Billy Butler hit a slow roller to third and the only play Angel third baseman David Freese could make was at first. Fuld scored on the play.

The Angels tied the game in the bottom of the second. David Freese doubled to lead off the inning. Gray threw a wild pitch that allowed Freese to make it to third. Erick Aybar ground out to first and Freese scored the tying run.

There was no more scoring by either team until the seventh inning. Weaver was done after six innings and Angels’manager, Mike Scioscia brought in Fernando Salas to pitch the seventh. Eric Sogard, leading off, singled and stole second to get things going for Oakland. Marcus Semien laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Sogie over to third. Sam Fuld drew an intentional walk. Mark Canha struck out for the second out of the inning. Lefty Cesar Ramos was brought in to pitch to Stephen Vogt. Vogt came through with a big hit to drive in Sogard with the A’s second run of the game. Vinnie Pestano was now on the mound for LA. Pestano’s first pitch went way past Chris Iannetta allowing Fuld to cross the plate to make it a 3-1 game. Vogt took second on the play and he came in to score ahead of Billy Butler who hit his third home run of the season that went to dead centerfield. Ike Davis singled for his third hit of the night and that was followed by Josh Reddick’s double to put men on at 2nd and 3rd. Both scored on Brett Lawrie’s single. A’s lead 6-1.

Sonny Gray retired the Angels 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 7th. Gray retired the last14 batters he faced in order.

The A’s added three more runs in the 8th. The A’s loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Vogt drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Butler singled driving in his fourth run of the night. Mark Canha scored the ninth run of the night on a fielder’s choice. Evan Scribner set the Angels down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th.

The Angels added a run in the bottom of the 9th. Arnold Leon made his Major League Debut pitching for the A’s. He had been recalled from Nashville earlier in the day. The 26 year old Leon retired the first batter he faced, but the Angels loaded the bases on a single, double and walk. A high chopper drove in Pujols with the run but Leon was able to get the last hitter to secure the win for the A’s

Game notes- Relief pitcher, R.J.Alvarez, was sent down to Nashville Wednesday. The hitting stars for the A’s were Billy Butler who went 2 fo 5 with a home run and 4 runs batted in. Sam Fuld, Ike Davis and Josh Reddick each had three hits in the game for Oakland. Stephen Vogt had two hits and two runs batted in.

The line score for the A’s 9 runs, 18 hits and no errors while the Angels were 2 runs on 4 hits and no errors.

The A’s conclude the four-game series and the ten game road trip Thursday afternoon in Anaheim. Game time will  be at 4:05pm