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Angels have 3 hits, but blank A's

Sep 24, 2014 - 7:08 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim needed just three hits to prevent the Oakland Athletics from their first three-game winning streak in more than a month.

Gordon Beckham smacked a solo homer, Wade LeBlanc pitched into the sixth inning and the Angels blanked the A's, 2-0, in the middle test of a three-game set.

LeBlanc (1-1), who has tossed 15 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, scattered five hits and walked one over 5 1/3 frames for the Angels, who had dropped four of their last five games coming in.

"Staying aggressive," LeBlanc said. "I didn't have much in the way of swing- and-miss stuff tonight, but you know defense did what it always does behind you."

The Angels are 2 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore for home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.

Sonny Gray (13-10) struck out a career-high 12 batters, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and three walks for Oakland, which hasn't won three in a row since Aug. 7-9.

The A's are tied with Kansas City for the AL's top wild-card spot, with Seattle three games behind.

Oakland's best opportunity to score came in the eighth.

Joe Smith, who had surrendered eight runs in 8 2/3 innings against the A's this season coming in, got Stephen Vogt to fly out with the bases loaded to end his 32-pitch frame.

"We had some opportunities," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "One or two more hits and it's a different game."

Huston Street then recorded a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save of the season.

The Angels opened the scoring in the second.

Erick Aybar led off the frame with a single, stole second during C.J. Cron's at-bat and advanced to third on Geovany Soto's throwing error trying to nab Aybar at second. Cron struck out and Efren Navarro walked to put runners on the corners.

After Hank Conger fanned, Navarro was caught trying to steal second, but not before Aybar was able to scamper home from third.

Beckham's no-doubt shot into the seats in left-center to lead off the sixth gave the Angels a 2-0 lead.

The fifth and sixth innings were the other frames the A's put runners into scoring position.

Josh Reddick stood at third base with two outs in the fifth, but Eric Sogard was unable to beat out his bunt attempt. The A's put runners on first and second in the sixth, but Vogt struck out swinging to end that threat.

Game Notes

The Angels have won six of their last seven games against Oakland ... Gray has not tallied a win in his last six starts ... The A's were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, while LA also finished 0-for-5.