by Jessica Kwong

AP photo: Oakland A’s  Coco Crisp waves in the A’s dugout against the Los Angeles Angels after hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning at Angels Stadium Sunday

ANAHEIM–When Oakland Athletics’ starting pitcher Sonny Gray walked off the mound after six innings on Sunday afternoon, his club up 6-2 over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he and his teammates thought they were on their way to sweeping in the four-game series.

 Instead, the Angels scores two runs in both the seventh and eight innings, and in the ninth, third baseman Jefry Marte made a sacrifice fly that allowed the Halos to come away with a 7-6 win.

 A’s manager Bob Melvin said it was “for sure” disappointing.

 “When you have a 6-2 lead, you’d like to think you can finish it off,” Melvin said. “We had a couple of guys unavailable in the bullpen, but felt like we still had the right guys to get it done.”

 Unlike the first three contests at Angel Stadium, the Angels captured the first runs. C.J. Cron singled on a line drive to right fielder Jake Smolinski and Kole Calhoun scored to put Anaheim up 1-0 in the first inning.

 Later in the inning, the Angels’ Johnny Giavotella got out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Coco Crisp and Mike Trout scored, lifting the Halos up 2-0.

 Gray said he “didn’t feel great” early in the game.

 “I didn’t have my best stuff, but we made some adjustments,” the right-handed pitcher said.

 In the second inning, the A’s Yonder Alonso grounded out and Smolinski scored and Oakland trailed 2-1.

 The A’s got a major boost in the fourth inning, when Crisp hit a grand slam to left center field, with Billy Butler, Josh Phegley and Yonder Alonso scoring, putting Oakland up 5-2. It was Crisp’s seventh homer on first pitch and his third career grand slam.

 “He’s playing really great,” Melvin said of Crisp. “A grand slam for us after winning three games, we felt like we were in a really good position to win this game. Typically he plays really well here.”

 On the heels of the grand slam, A’s shortstop Marcus Semian hit a home run, his 14th, on a fly ball to the left, giving Oakland a 6-2 lead. It was the third time this season Oakland has gotten back-to-back homers.

 Replacing Gray, A’s right-handed pitcher Fernando Rodriguez allowed two runs in the seventh inning. Trout hit a home run on a fly ball to center field and Andrelton Simmons scored, cutting Oakland’s lead to 6-4.

 After that single inning, right-handed pitcher John Axford stepped on the mound, but allowed two runs in the eighth inning. Marte singled on a line drive to Crisp, Johnny Giavotella scored, and the Angels trailed 6-5. Then Simmons singled on a ground ball to Crisp and Marte scored, tying the game at 6-6.

 “We just wasted a good effort by Sonny, a good, strong start by him, another big day for Coco at the plate,” Axford said.

 Oakland got a third out in the ninth inning when Khris Davis was caught trying to steal second base.

 With the game in the Angels’ hands, Marte hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Halos a 7-6 walkoff victory, the club’s fourth this season.

 With the first three wins in the series, the A’s overtook the Angels in the standings. After Sunday’s loss, though, the A’s (32-43) barely top the Angels (32-44) in the American League.

 “Wins are hard to get, it’s not like every time you go out there. But all you can do is continue to put your team in a good chance to win and that’s where in my opinion, the starting pitcher’s job is,” Gray said. “And if you keep doing that, sooner or later it’ll turn around.”

 The A’s return to the Bay Area on Monday for the Bay Bridge Series, with first pitch at the home of the San Francisco Giants at 7:15 p.m.