by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: The LA Angels Geovany Soto took A’s pitcher Sean Doolittle deep for a ninth inning two run homer which led to the Angels victory on Tuesday night

OAKLAND–The A’s wasted a terrific outing by Kendall Graveman Tuesday night as they lost to the Angels by a score of 5-4. Graveman went six innings and allowed just one run and four hits. John Axford did his job in the seventh but Ryan Madson gave up two runs in the eighth and Sean Doolittle did the same in the ninth. The Angels snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, and the team came running out of the dugout to congratulate Huston Street for shutting the A’s down in the ninth. Doolittle was charged with a blown save and the loss.

The A’s jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter, Billy Burns, drew a walk from Angels’ starter Hector Santiago. Burns stole second then advanced to third when Josh Phegley flew out to right field. Josh Reddick singled to drive in Burns.

The Angels tied the game in the top of the second. Graveman walked Albert Pujols, who led off the inning. Kole Calhoun singled to right advancing Pujols to third. Graveman got Andrelton Simmons to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Pujols scored on the play.

The A’s scored twice in the bottom of the third. A’s shortstop Marcus Semien hit a home run over left field fence to start the inning. Billy Burns then singled. Burns went to second on a ground out. Burns stole third and scored when Josh Reddick grounded out to first. Pujols thought about throwing home, but there was no way that he could have thrown Burns out. Reddick received credit for his second RBI of the game. A’s lead 3-1 after three.

The A’s added a run in the bottom of the seventh to take a 4-1 lead. Marcus Semien hit his second solo home run of the game. For Semien, it was his third home run of the season, and they have all been solo jobs.

The Angels rallied in the top of the eighth. With one out, Yunel Escobar and Daniel Nava singled to put men on at first and second. The A’s third pitcher of the night, Ryan Madson struck out Mike Trout for the second out. He now faced the ever-dangerous Albert Pujols. Madson had Pujols in a two-strike hole, but the future Hall of Famer came through with a double to left driving in Escobar and Nava.  A’s lead 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

The Angels took the lead in the top of the ninth. With one out, A’s closer, Sean Doolittle, walked pinch-hitter C.J.Cron. Angels ‘ catcher Geovany Soto hit his first home run of the year off Doolittle to give the Halos the lead 5-4. The Angels’ Huston Street set the A’s down in order in the bottom to secure the win for Los Angeles.

Game Notes- The hitting stars for the A’s were Marcus Semien with two solo home runs and Josh Reddick with two RBIs. The A’s record drops to 4-5 and, with the win, the Angels improve to 4-4. Game three of the series will be played at 12:35 PM at the Oakland Coliseum. Lefty Eric Surkamp will make his second start of the season for Oakland, and the Angels will counter with Matt Shoemaker.

Time of game was two hours and forty-one minutes. 13,492 fans left the stadium disappointed as the A’s bullpen failed to close out the game.