Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Joe Saunders pitched the fourth complete game of his career and Erick Aybar went 4-for-5 with two RBI, as the Angels clobbered Oakland, 7-1, in the third installment of a four-game series.
Angels Get Back On Track Behind Effective Joe Saunders, Keep Pace With Rangers
Saunders (5-6) allowed seven hits in going the distance for the second time this year. The southpaw moved to 11-4 lifetime against the A’s and has beaten Oakland in seven of his last nine starts.
“I was getting quick outs,” Saunders said. “They’re an aggressive team. When I had to make a pitch tonight I thought I made a pretty good pitch.”
Juan Rivera homered and drove in two runs for Los Angeles, which bounced back after having its six-game winning streak snapped in a 10-1 decision Tuesday.
Dallas Braden (4-6) gave up 11 hits and five runs -- four earned -- over 5 2/3 innings to lose his fourth straight decision. He hasn't won since throwing a perfect game on May 9 against Tampa Bay.
Daric Barton had three hits and scored the lone run for the A's, who have just three wins in their last nine games.
The Angels started the scoring in the third inning. Kevin Frandsen reached second on Cliff Pennington's throwing error to begin the frame. They loaded the bases after a walk to Robb Quinlan and a single by Aybar, and two outs later Torii Hunter's base hit plated a run, but Quinlan was out at home.
Singles by Hunter, Hideki Matsui and Rivera gave the Angels a 2-0 lead in the sixth, but they scored three more times in the inning - on an RBI single from Quinlan and a two-run triple from Aybar.
Rivera homered in the eighth on what turned out to be a scary play for A's center fielder Matt Carson. He chased the ball full speed, but ran out of real estate and slammed head-first into the wall as the ball went over the fence. He was left with nothing more than a red nose.
“It didn’t really hurt as bad as I thought it would,” Carson said. “The good thing is I hit it flat, my arm or knee or my jaw wasn’t sticking out.”
Matsui singled in a run in the top of the ninth, and Kevin Kouzmanoff had an RBI base hit in the bottom half to account for the final margin.
Angels first baseman Kendry Morales will have surgery on his fractured left leg Thursday. Morales was hurt while celebrating a game-winning grand slam in the 10th inning against Seattle on May 29...The Angels have won seven of their last eight in Oakland...In the Angels' six victories over Oakland this season, they have outscored the A's 35-9. Conversely, in their three losses, they have been outscored 29-9...Hunter had three hits.
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