Oakland Athletics’ Jesus Aguilar (99) celebrates in the dugout with teammates after hitting a home run during the first inning against Los Angeles Angels at the Big A in Anaheim on Mon Apr 24, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s and Angels played a wild one Monday night in Anaheim. The game saw eight home runs hit. The A’s blew a 7-2 lead but came back from an 8-7 deficit to tie the game in the ninth. The A’s came back in the top of the tenth inning scoring three runs to take a 11-8 lead. In the bottom of the tenth the Angels scored twice but came up short as the A’s defeat the Halos 11-10 at the Big A in Anaheim.

The A’s scored three in the tenth but had to hold their breaths as the Angels scored two and had the tying run at second base with the three-time AL MVP, Mike Trout, coming to bat. The A’s reliever, Jeurys Familia, found a way to get Trout out. He labored through the tenth but, somehow, received credit for the save. 

The A’s starter Ken Waldichuk pitched well for the first five innings. The A’s offense put seven runs on the board in the first three innings. Brent Rooker and Jesus Aguilar hit back-to-back home runs in the first and third innings.

It may have been the first time in A’s history that two players achieved that feat. The big hit in the second inning was Kevin Smith’s three-run blast. Things went south for the A’s in the sixth as the Angels sent ten men to the plate and scored five runs to tie the game. Here’s how the scoring went in the game.

The A’s put two runs on the board in the top of the first. Back-to-back home runs by Brent Rooker and Jesus Aguilar gave the A’s an early 2-0 lead. The home runs came after two were out in the first.

The A’s plated three more runs in the second inning. Aledmys Diaz gets things going by working Jose Suarez for a walk. A’s DH Carlos Perez doubled to left, and Diaz stopped at third. The next hitter, the light-hitting Kevin Smith, sent Suarez’s 82 mph pitch over the wall for a three-run dinger.

The A’s lead 5-0 midway through the second inning. The Angels got one back in their half of the inning. With two out, Angels’ first baseman Brandon Drury homered to make it a 5-1 game.

The A’s continued to play long ball as Rooker and Aguilar hit back-to-back home runs to give the A’s the lead, 7-1, in the third. It was his fifth of the year for Rooker and Aguilar, his fourth.

The A’s have hit five home runs in the first three innings. The Angels struck back in the bottom of the inning. Angels’ catcher Chad Wallach, son of former big leaguer Tim Wallach, homered to left to make it 7-2. It was the seventh home run of the game in the first three innings of play. 

The Angels’ bats came to life in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter, Mike Trout, reached on an infield single. Shohei Ohtani doubled down the right field line, sending Trout to third. Third baseman Anthony Rendon doubled to left drive in Trout ad Ohtani.

The Angels trail 7-4, and still no one out. Waldichuk struck out Hunter Renfroe for the first out. Waldichuk’s night ended when A’s manager brought in James Kaprielian to pitch. Kaprielian did not start well as he walked Brandon Drury and Luis Rengifo to load the bases. Chad Wallach, who had homered earlier, singled to drive in Rendon with the Angels’ fifth run. The bases are still loaded.

The next hitter, Zach Neto, doubled down the left-field line to drive in two. The game is tied at 7-7, and men are on at second and third. Kaprielian struck out Taylor Ward for the second out. Trout struck out to end the inning. The Angels sent ten men to the plate. They scored five runs on five hits and two walks. 

The Angels took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the seventh. Zach Jackson was now pitching for the A’s. Jackson retired the first two Angels’ hitters. Angels’ right fielder Hunter Renfroe doubled off the wall in right field. Brandon Drury singled to drive in Renfroe with the Angels’ eighth run. The Halos lead 8-7 after seven.

In the ninth, the A’s first two hitters walked. Angels’ skipper Phil Nevin replaced Andrew Wantz with Jaime Berria. The first hitter Barria faced, Conner Capel, singled to right field. Hunter Renfroes’s throw home kept Smith from scoring. The A’s have the bases loaded. Barria then walked Brent Rooker to force in the tying run.

Barria struck out Tyler Wade for the second out. Shea Langeliers’ blast looked like it was going to leave the park. Angels’ left fielder Taylor Ward made a leaping catch to rob Langeliers of a grand slam. The Angels failed to score in the bottom of the ninth. The game is tied at 8-8. 

In the top of the tenth, the A’s scored three times to take an 11-8 lead. Langeliers was the ghost runner to start the frame. Langeleliers went to third on Aledmys Diaz’s fielder’s choice. Diaz was safe at first as the Angels tried to nail Langeliers at third. Shea made it in safely.

The Angels challenged the call, but it was not overturned. Ryan Noda doubled to drive in two. Kemp singled to drive in Noda with the A’s third run of the inning. The Angels kept coming back. Hunter Renfroe was the ghost runner at second base. Brandon Drury, who had homered earlier, blasted his second of the game to make it 11-10.

Familia walked Thaiss and Neto to put a man in scoring position with one out. Familia struck out Ward for the second out. Familia now how to face Mike Trout. Trout grounds out to end the game. The A’s win 11-10.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s are now 5-18. The Angels fall to 11-12. 

The line score for Oakland was 11 runs, 14 hits, and one error. The Angels’ line was ten runs, 13 hits, and no errors. 

Adam Oller pitched two innings and earned the win. He allowed one hit. The losing pitcher was Andrew Wantz. 

The Line for Waldichuk was five and 1/3rd innings pitched. He allowed six hits and five runs. James Kaprielian pitched 2/3rd of an inning and allowed two hits and two runs. 

The A’s face the Angels again Tuesday night in Anaheim. Starting for Oakland Mason Muller (0-0 ERA 4.15) getting the call for Los Angeles Griffin Canning (0-0 ERA 3.48) The game will start at 6:38 pm