A’s power way past Jack Kochanowicz and the Angels
Brent Rooker hit a three-run homer, Lawrence Butler had a bases-clearing double and the Oakland Athletics beat the Angels 8-2 on Saturday.
The A’s have won five of seven and are on a franchise-long eight-game home winning streak against the Angels, with an announced crowd of 14,574 in attendance at the Coliseum. They have won consecutive series after taking two of three on the road against the Phillies prior to the All-Star break.
“You just don’t know what you’re going to see, and how long it’s going to take the team to continue the progress that we’ve made ... so it’s nice to see that we’ve come out and swung the bat as well, and kept the momentum going,” manager Mark Kotsay said.
The A’s have scored 39 runs over their last three games, their most runs over a three-game stretch since 2012.
Angels starter Griffin Canning gave up six runs in 3⅓ innings before leaving the game because of elbow irritation during a 13-3 loss to Oakland.
Athletics starter Mitch Spence (6-6) pitched into the sixth and held the Angels to two runs.
Rooker hit his 22nd homer of the season to give the A’s a 3-0 lead four batters into the game. Rooker is batting nearly .480 in July.
Butler cleared the bases with two outs in the fourth inning with a line drive to right that made it 7-1. The rookie has 22 RBIs in his last 14 games, entering the game second in the league in RBIs in July. Butler and Miguel Andujar each had three hits.
Butler was sen down to Triple-A Las Vegas after batting .179 over the first 41 games of the season, but since being called back up in June, he has settled into the hitter that Kotsay saw in spring training.
“When he’s behind in a count, you can see unconsciously — there’s a mentality there that he’s not going to let an off-speed pitch out of the zone beat him,” Kotsay said.
Spence said that watching Butler hit has been fun to watch.
“The stuff he’s been doing has been unbelievable,” Spence said. “The biggest thing is even when he’s not on an absolute tear, he doesn’t lose confidence. He’s still putting together great at-bats, and I think that’s what makes a great hitter.”
Athletics owner John Fisher says moving to Las Vegas will improve the franchise, but Paul Sewald, Bryce Harper and other players don’t see it that way.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz (0-2), making his second career start, pitched an inning longer than in his debut. He allowed seven runs in four innings.
Manager Ron Washington said Kochanowicz settled into after the first inning, but lost his command in the fourth. The Angels were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
“That’s the story of the past two days: We couldn’t stop their offense and their pitching stopped our offense,” Washington said. “Every opportunity we got, we got the minimal damage done. Every opportunity they got, they cashed it in big time. We’ve got to change our formula for that.”
Angels injury updates: First baseman Nolan Schanuel left after his at-bat in the third inning because of tightness in his left calf. … Outfielder Mike Trout (knee) is expected to face live pitching at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona before beginning a rehabilitation assignment at triple-A Salt Lake City on Monday. He could possibly rejoin the team Thursday, Washington said. … Right-hander Griffin Canning (elbow) is day to day after leaving Friday’s start in the fourth inning as a precaution. … Third baseman Luis Rengifo (wrist) was expected to do live hitting off a tee.
Up next: Right-hander Joey Estes (4-4, 5.29 ERA) is set to pitch for the A’s against right-hander Carslon Fulmer (0-2, 3.45 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.
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