OAKLAND -- Scott Kazmir extended the trend of the A's getting stellar starting pitching by throwing 71/3 one-run innings Sunday in leading Oakland to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
It gave the A's the series win over the Angels, and the club, now 31-41, has gone 5-2-1 in its last eight series as Oakland tries to claw its way back into contention in the American League West.
The A's already have won as many games in June as in May (11), with eight games left on this month's schedule. Much of that is because of the starting pitchers, who are 14-7 in the last 28 games with a 2.11 ERA. Sunday was the 16th time in that stretch an A's starter had allowed one or zero runs.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Scott Kazmir throws to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 21, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/George Nikitin) ( George Nikitin )
Kazmir allowed five hits and walked three, including Johnny Giavotella to open the eighth inning. A's manager Bob Melvin came to the mound to make sure the lefty was good for one more batter. He was, getting Kole Calhoun to pop out for his last act, turning a 3-0 lead over to the bullpen.
That enabled Melvin to get right-on-right matchup with his closer, Tyler Clippard, and the Angels' two biggest bats, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. The matchups worked in the A's favor with Trout, who popped out, but Pujols, fuming after a check swing call went against him for strike two, hammered his 21st homer deep to left to make it a one-run game.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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