Lawrence Butler on Tuesday in the game against the Angels (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — There was an air of desperation Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s entered the game riding a six-game losing streak and were 2-8 over their last 10. The Angels extended that skid to seven with a 7-5 victory.

The A’s continue to struggle, unable to put together consistent pitching and offense in the same game. On Tuesday, starter Gunnar Hogland lasted just 4.2 innings and took the loss. Hogland was sharp through three innings before hitting a snag in the fourth when Logan O’Hoppe launched a solo homer to left to tie the game at one. Though it seemed like a minor setback at the time, trouble returned in the fifth. After a grinding at-bat by Luis Rengifo, Yoan Moncada followed with a three-run shot to right-center, tying the game at four. Hogland gave up a double to the next batter and was pulled. He finished with six hits and five earned runs allowed, along with five strikeouts and two walks.

The bullpen held things down until the ninth, when Anthony Maldonado surrendered two runs on three hits in his lone inning. Between Hogland and Maldonado, Justin Sterner, Hogan Harris, and Grant Holman combined for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.

The A’s offense came out swinging early but failed to build momentum late. Luis Urías opened the scoring in the second with an RBI single. In the fourth, Shea Langeliers crushed a solo homer to center, followed by a two-run opposite-field shot from Nick Kurtz to give the A’s a brief 4-1 lead. Their only other run came in the ninth, when Seth Brown delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to cut the deficit to 7-5. That’s where the rally ended.

Hogland took the loss, while Kyle Hendricks earned the win for the Angels. Closer Kenley Jansen locked down his 10th save of the season.

The series wraps up Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. PST at Sutter Health Park. The A’s will send JP Sears (4-3, 3.31 ERA) to the mound against Jack Kochanowicz (3-5, 4.71 ERA) for the Angels.

Note of the day: A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz snapped an 0-for-21 skid with a single in the second inning — his longest hitless stretch of the season.