Jo Adell came through with the biggest swing of the night, and the Angels kept rolling.
Adell’s two-run triple highlighted a three-run fourth inning, Denzer Guzman broke a tie with a single in the seventh, and Los Angeles beat the Athletics 5-2 on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The Angels also got RBI singles from Oswald Peraza and Logan O’Hoppe and picked up their fifth win in seven games. Adell, Guzman and Soler finished with two hits apiece.
Kirby Yates closed it out by retiring the side in order in the ninth for his second save of the season and the 100th of his career.
The game turned in the seventh after Josh Lowe singled off Geoff Hartlieb (1-1) with one out and stole second. He advanced to third on Zach Neto’s infield out, then Guzman chopped a hard grounder that slipped under the glove of Athletics third baseman Max Muncy for the go-ahead hit.
Los Angeles added more in the eighth. Soler reached on an infield single, Adell was hit by a pitch from Matt Krook with one out, and Peraza followed with a single to center to make it 4-2. After Mason Barnett came in, O’Hoppe delivered a run-scoring single to center.
Adell had already done major damage earlier. In the fourth, Nolan Schanuel walked and Soler singled, and both runners moved up on the throw. One out later, Adell ripped a ball inside the third-base line that bounced off the side wall and rolled past Colby Thomas for a two-run triple.
The Athletics got their first big swing from Jonah Heim, who celebrated his 31st birthday by launching a first-pitch fastball 445 feet over the fence in center in the second inning.
They later pulled even in the sixth. Nick Kurtz singled to open the frame, Butler drew a one-out walk, and Colby Thomas drove a two-out single to left that scored Kurtz and ended Reid Detmers’ night.
Detmers struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. Ryan Zeferjahn (4-3) followed with two strikeouts in the seventh for Los Angeles.
The A’s threatened again in the eighth when Shea Langeliers singled with one out and Lawrence Butler and Heim walked to load the bases. Sam Bachman responded by striking out pinch hitter Carlos Cortes and getting Muncy to line out to center.
The Athletics were again without shortstop Jacob Wilson, who missed his third straight game with a shoulder issue, and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom exited after 2 1/2 innings with a left hip injury.
In Other News...
A's Suddenly Face A Big Kade Morris Decision
Kade Morris gave the Athletics another reason to keep him in the conversation with his three-inning relief stint against the Dodgers, a solid enough outing that only added to the intrigue around what comes next. He allowed three hits and struck out two, showing the kind of versatility that can matter for a team trying to patch together innings while dealing with injuries and uneven results elsewhere on the staff.
The real question now is whether Oakland views Morris as a rotation piece or a bullpen arm, because the answer could shape several moving parts on the pitching staff. The A's are weighing their options with other starters and relievers still trying to settle in, and Morris has suddenly become one of the more interesting decisions on the board. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Bullpen May Finally Get The Lefty Fix Fans Need
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Help may be close at hand if the front office decides to stay internal. CD Pelham has put together strong numbers at Triple-A this season and has emerged as a name to watch for a possible call-up, giving the As a potential lefty fix without having to wait on a more complicated roster move. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Made A Pitching Change Fans Will Want To Watch
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Los Angeles also made a roster adjustment ahead of the game, recalling right-hander Wyatt Mills and designating Jonathan Hernndez for assignment. It adds another layer to a series that is still taking shape, especially with the Dodgers managing their pitching plan as they move through the week. [Read more 🡒]