Athletics 0 - 2 Angels
Final
  for this game

Angels edge A's, lead AL West by 4

Aug 31, 2014 - 5:09 AM Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jeff Samardzija threw his second complete game for the Athletics and they still lost more ground to the Angels in the AL West.

Erick Aybar had two hits, including an RBI single in a two-run fourth inning that was good enough for the Angels to steal a 2-0 win over the A's Saturday and increase their lead to four games atop the division.

The Angels won their fifth game in a row and will go for a four-game sweep of this key series on Sunday.

Reliever Cory Rasmus threw three one-hit innings in his first MLB start as the starting pitching-starved Angels took a committee-style approach to the game.

Eight guys threw pitches, with Yoslan Herrera (1-1) picking up the win and Huston Street working around a single in the ninth inning to earn his 11th save.

"Corey got us off on a great foot," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "He did what we wanted him to do. You can't say enough about all the pitchers. Samardzija pitched great. We were fortunate to get runs off him."

Samardzija, in his 11th start since coming over from the Cubs this summer, pitched his second losing complete game for the A's. Samardzija (4-4) was economical in his eight innings, throwing just 102 pitches with 75 going for strikes.

"We're pressing offensively. Every one of those guys wants to get the big hit but it's not happening right now," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "Jeff pitched great. Give credit to both teams as far as pitching is concerned."

Samardzija struck out nine without issuing a walk and gave up just four hits.

Two of them came in the fourth inning -- a leadoff single by Albert Pujols, who went to second base on shortstop Eric Sogard's fielding error and then scored on Aybar's single.

Howie Kendrick, who reached on Sogard's error, advanced to third on Aybar's hit and scored when Samardzija uncorked a wild pitch way outside to David Freese.

Game Notes

Rasmus was 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 24 appearances out of the bullpen this season entering Saturday's game ... It was Samardzija's fifth career complete game.






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