Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout (27) celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a triple hit by Brandon Drury during the first inning against the Oakland A’s at the Big A in Anaheim Tue Apr 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Angels evened the four-game series at one apiece Tuesday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The A’s sent Mason Miller to the hill to start for the Green and Gold. Miller made his Major League debut last Wednesday in Oakland when he faced the Chicago Cubs.

On Tuesday, Miller had a rough first inning. The Angels scored four times in the inning. Miller threw 39 pitches and didn’t look sharp. However, A’s manager Mark Kotsay let Miller stay in the game. The young hurler pitched well the next three innings and allowed just one hit and no runs.

The A’s, trailing 4-1, scored a run in the fifth and one in the sixth to make it a 4-3 game. Kotsay called on Adam Oller to pitch the sixth inning. Oller pitched two innings Monday night and kept the Angels off the board. Tuesday night was a different story. Oller gave up three hits, and the Angels plated an insurance run. Oller almost got out of the jam, but the A’s could not complete an inning-ending double play. The Angels win 5-3

The A’s drew blood in the first inning for the second night. With one out, first baseman Ryan Noda walked. Angels’ starter Griffin Canning struck out Brent Rooker for the second out. Jace Peterson tripled into the right field corner to drive in Noda with the A’s first run.

The A’s lead 1-0 halfway through the first inning. The A’s starter Mason Miller had a tough inning. The young flamethrower struck out Taylor Ward for the first out. Angels’ superstar Mike Trout hit a 101-mile-an-hour fastball deep into the right-field corner for a double.

Miller retired Shohei Ohtani for the second out. Miller walked Anthony Rendon. Brandon Drury, who had two home runs in Monday’s game, lined a rifle shot to centerfield that got by Esteury Ruiz for a triple. Trout and Rendon scored. Luis Rengifo singled to drive in Drury. Rengifo then stole second and scored on Gio Urshela’s single. The Angels lead 4-1. Miller threw 39 pitches in the inning.

The A’s crept closer in the top of the fifth when leadoff hitter Shea Langeliers blasted a 408-foot home run over the fence in left field. The ball had an exit velocity of 108 mph. The A’s now trail 4-2.

The A’s continued to chip away at the Angels’ lead. In the sixth, Brent Rooker started the rally by hitting a ground-rule double. The Halos’ skipper Phil Nevim made a pitching change. He brought in lefty Aaron Loup to pitch. Loup retired Jace Peterson and Jesus Aguilar.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay had Jordan Diaz pinch hit for Conner Capel. The rookie came through with a double down the left field line to drive in Rooker with the A’s third run. Oakland trails 4-3. The Angels got the run back in the bottom of the frame. Adam Oller was now pitching for the A’s.

With one out, Gio Urshela singled. The next hitter, catcher Matt Thaiss singled, and Urshela stopped at second. Oller got shortstop Zach Neto to hit a ground ball to third. The throw to second erased Thaiss, but the relay to first did not get there on time, and Neto was safe. Taylor Ward singled to drive in Urshela with the Angels’ fifth run. The Halos lead 5-3 after six.

The Angels’ bullpen did not allow the A’s a run in the game’s last three innings. Aaron Loup, Matt Moore, and Carlos Esteves allowed the A’s two hits in the last three innings to secure the win for LA 5-3.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 5-19. The Angels improved to 12-12.

The line score for Oakland was three runs, six hits, and no errors. The big hit for the A’s was Shea Langeliers fifth dinger of the season.

The Angels’ line was five runs, ten hits, and no errors. 

The line for Mason Miller was four innings pitched, five hits, four runs, six strikeouts, and one walk. Miller took the loss. 

The Angels Griffin Canning was the winning pitcher. Canning went five-plus innings. He allowed four hits and three runs. Carlos Esteves earned the save.

Game three of the series will be played Wednesday night in Anaheim. The A’s will be sending Luis Medina to the hill. Medina recalled from the Las Vegas Aviators, is right-handed, and will be making his Major League debut. Lefty Patrick Sandoval will pitch for LA.

The time of the game was two hours and forty-seven minutes. There were 26,971 fans on hand to see the Angels win.