Field Level Media
May 27, 2019
The Oakland Athletics rode three home runs and stellar relief pitching to a 10th consecutive victory Monday afternoon, 8-5 over the visiting Los Angeles Angels.
Jurickson Profar rallied the A's from an early deficit with a two-run homer, Josh Phegley broke a tie with a solo shot, and Matt Chapman gave his bullpen some breathing room with another solo homer, allowing Oakland to with its fourth straight game to open its nine-game homestand.
Albert Pujols hit his ninth home run of the season for the Angels, who will see the A's six times over an 11-day stretch after the American League West clubs squared off just four times in the season's first two months.
The Angels led 3-1 when Mark Canha drew a two-out walk from Los Angeles starter Trevor Cahill (2-5) in the fourth inning.
Profar followed with his eighth homer of the season, his third in the past seven games, to draw Oakland even.
Phegley's go-ahead homer, his seventh long ball of the year, came in a three-run fifth. Stephen Piscotty capped the rally with a two-out, two-run single that gave the A's a 6-3 lead.
Cahill couldn't finish the inning. He was charged with six runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five.
The Angels ended the day for Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (3-1) in the sixth when Kole Calhoun walked and David Fletcher doubled to cut the deficit to 6-4 with no outs.
Brian Goodwin greeted reliever Yusmeiro Petit with an RBI single to get the Angels within one, but the visitors never scored again as five Oakland relievers combined to allow only three hits over four innings.
Bassitt got the win despite giving up five runs and six hits in five-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.
The last of the Oakland relievers, closer Blake Treinen, worked a one-hit ninth for his 11th save.
The A's tacked on in the seventh on Chapman's homer, his 14th, and again in the eighth when Canha singled to drive in Piscotty, who had doubled.
Chapman, Piscotty and Robbie Grossman finished with two hits apiece for the A's, who haven't lost since May 14 at Seattle.
Pujols, Calhoun and Fletcher had two hits each for the Angels, who entered the series having won two straight games following five consecutive losses.
--Field Level Media