Angels 1 - 3 Athletics
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A's use pinch-hit blast to beat Angels

Jul 28, 2013 - 3:26 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Derek Norris hit a pinch-hit two-run home run while Tommy Milone pitched seven strong innings to lift the Oakland Athletics to a 3-1 win over the LA Angels of Anaheim in the second of a three-game set.

Milone (9-8) gave up just one run on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts, while Jed Lowrie hit an RBI double for the Athletics, who have won five of seven.

"I was just going out there and trying to keep our team in the game," said Milone. "We have the lineup and the guys to get it done and luckily we did."

Josh Hamilton hit a solo home run for the Angels, who have lost five of their last seven. Garrett Richards pitched five innings in the start and gave up just three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Scott Downs (2-3) served up Norris' home run to take the loss.

Hamilton's solo home run with one out in the second, his 15th of the season, gave the A's a 1-0 lead.

Oakland had men on first and second with one out in the second, but Chris Young lined out and Stephen Vogt grounded out to the pitcher.

The A's stranded a runner on third in the third, and a man on second in the fourth, but were finally able to break through in the seventh.

Josh Reddick led off with a walk and Young reached base when he hit into a fielder's choice, leading to a pitching change as Downs took the mound.

Norris greeted Downs with his seventh home run of the year, a blast to left, to give the A's the lead. Two batters later, Coco Crisp singled and Lowrie followed with a double for a 3-1 lead.

"When you're not a velocity guy and you leave the ball up, good hitters will get a hold of the ball and that's what happened there," said Downs.

Ryan Cook stranded a runner on second in the eighth, while Grant Balfour tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 28th save of the season.

Game Notes

Oakland has won eight of the 12 games against the Angels this season ... Both teams stranded seven men on base as the Angels went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and the A's were 0-for-7 ... Milone is 5-2 in his last eight home starts.






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