by Jessica Kwong

AP photo: Oakland A’s pitcher Kendall Graveman gets the win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night at Angels Stadium

ANAHEIM The Oakland Athletics held on to their lead for a much-needed 5-4 win to open the series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Thursday night.

 The A’s scored first off shortstop Marcus Semien’s 13th home run of the season, a three-run shot in the second inning. Then Coco Crisp scored on an error by Angels’ Yunel Escobar to put Oakland up 4-0.

 The Angels scored a pair in the fourth inning. Johnny Giavotella singled on a pop up to Semien, allowing Mike Trout to score and C.J. Cron to get to third base. Jeff Bandy got out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Max Muncy and Cron scored to bring the Angels within 4-2.

 At the top of the fifth inning, A’s left fielder Khris Davis homered to widen Oakland’s lead to 5-2.

 “That was a really big point in the game for us, knowing we got four runs in an innings,” said starting pitcher Kendall Graveman, who went 62/3 innings and allowed two runs. “But then you get the bases loaded, they put up two runs. Man on second and third with two outs and I got to find a way to get him out and we did.”

 A’s manager Bob Melvin said Graveman “really found his sync in the last two games.”

Graveman is Oakland’s first starting pitcher to win in 18 games, one short of the club’s record for the longest streak without a victory by the starter.

 Meanwhile, former San Francisco Giants right-hand pitcher Tim Lincecum debuted at Angel Stadium and held the A’s to four hits and one run.

 “We probably were a little bit more aware of what he was going to try to do today and for the most part he was really successful last time, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Melvin said. “Itw as our turn to make some adjustments and I think we did early in the game.”

 After three scoreless innings, Bandy at the bottom of the ninth inning hit a home run on a line drive to left field and Giavotella scored, cutting the A’s lead to 1.

 The scariest moment for Oakland wasn’t that. It was when their umpire Paul Emmel got hit in the head after Angels’ Jeff Marte lost grip on his bat, and fell to the floor with a gash of blood on his forehead.

 “Oh it was very scary,” centerfielder Stephen Vogt said.

 “I heard it, it sounded like somebody hit a ball at the end of the bat, you could just hear the bat hitting his head and so I just turned around right away and he was down and I saw the blood. It was gushing pretty good,” Vogt said. “Obviously I pray that he’s alright, that it’s just a cut.”

 Following the on-field delay and umpire substitution, Marte popped out to second baseman Arismendy Alcantara, sealing Oakland’s 5-4 victory.

 The A’s are now 2-5 against the Angels this season, with Thursday’s series opener the first at Angel Stadium. First pitch for game two in the series of four is 7:05 p.m. on Friday.