Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Kendall Graveman reacts after giving up a home run against Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, background left, during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

by Jerry Feitelberg

Anaheim – The Los Angeles Angels rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the A’s 10-8 Wednesday night. Neither starting pitcher did well on a warm and humid night in the Southland. Kendall Graveman lasted five innings, but he gave up six hits and five runs. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols sent Graveman to the showers. Trout homered in his first at-bat after missing the first two games of the series, and Pujols hit two two-run dingers.

The Angels led 3-0 heading into the top of the fourth. The A’s exploded to score eight times on six hits, and they sent Angels’ starter Parker Bridwell to an early exit. The big hits in the inning were a three-run blast by Matt Olson and a two-run homer by Bruce Maxwell. The Angels plated two in the bottom of the fourth.  Trout tripled to start the rally and scored when Pujols hit his second homer of the night. It was the 57th time in Pujols’ career that he had a multi-homer game and has now hit 612 long balls in his career. The blast tied him with Jim Thome for 7th on the all-time list of home run hitters.

Bob Melvin was counting on his bullpen to hold the lead, but they failed. Ryan Dull pitched the sixth and kept the Angels off the board. With one out in the seventh, Trout singled to left. Dull hit Pujols with a pitch and with a left-handed hitter, Kole Calhoun, coming to the plate, Melvin brought in lefty Daniel Coulombe to pitch. Calhoun singled to right driving in Trout with the Angels’ sixth run. Melvin brought in Chris Hatcher to pitch. Hatcher walked Luis Valbuena to load the bases, and Hatcher served up a gopher ball to Angels’ shortstop Cliff Pennington. Pennington deposited his first career grand slam over the wall in right field. It had to be sweet for Pennington as he used to play for Oakland. The Angels now lead 10-8.

The Angels bullpen kept the A’s off the board in the eighth and ninth to win and keep pace with the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card chase.

Game Notes- The A’s used five pitchers and the Angels used six. Blake Parker picked up the save for the Angels, and Chris Hatcher absorbed the loss for Oakland.

Trout was four-for four with two singles, a triple, and a home run. Albert Pujols went three-for-four with a single, two homers, and four RBIs.

After the game, A’s manager Bob Melvin said this about Pennington’s grand slam:”he put a good swing on it.” I guess that’s about all he could say about the hit that sent the A’s down to defeat. He also pointed out this about the relief pitching;”you can’t keep putting men on base.” Bad things usually happen when pitchers walk hitters or hit them with a pitch.  He also pointed out that “basically, two guys were doing all the damage.” Pujols and Trout did do most of the damage, but Pennington’s home run with the bases loaded was the blow that beat the A’s. Nonetheless, Melvin felt that while “our record isn’t great, we have to keep our spirits up.” He has a young team, and they are showing promise for the future but the A’s need to shore up the starting rotation as well as the bullpen if they hope to get better next year.

The A’s are off Thursday, and they travel to Seattle for a three-game set with the Mariners this weekend. Sean Manaea will go for Oakland, and The Mariners will send Yovani Gallardo to the mound. Game time is at 7:05 on Friday.