Final
Pujols, Angels rally past A's
Jun 20, 2015 - 5:46 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Albert Pujols hit a grand slam to highlight an eight-run seventh inning as the Los Angeles Angels rallied past the Oakland Athletics 12-7 in Friday's series opener.Pujols finished with five RBI and three runs scored and Johnny Giavotella drove in three to save Angels starter Matt Shoemaker, who allowed five runs in four innings of work. Fernando Salas (1-1), one of five LA relievers to take the mound, earned the win for finishing the sixth inning.
Sonny Gray, who entered the game with the best ERA in the majors and a 5-1 career mark against the Halos, was roughed up for six runs -- five earned -- in six-plus innings for Oakland.
The A's put up a three spot against Shoemaker before he had recorded an out, as Billy Burns singled and Stephen Vogt walked to set up Ben Zobrist's homer to right. That trio combined for seven of Oakland's 11 hits and all seven RBI.
Giavotella plated a run in both the second and fourth innings for Los Angeles, but Burns plated Brett Lawrie with an RBI infield single in between.
Vogt's solo home run in the fifth gave the A's a three-run edge, and his two- run double an inning later made it 7-2.
Gray entered the seventh inning having thrown 97 pitches, and he wasn't able to record an out after facing four batters in the frame. Erick Aybar and Giavotella drew walks in front of singles from Matt Joyce and Chris Iannetta.
"I probably left him in a little too long," Bob Melvin said. "We brought him in here for a reason, to pitch deep into games."
Drew Pomeranz came on and promptly walked Daniel Robertson to force in a run and make it 7-4. After Edward Mujica (2-2) had taken over on the mound, Zobrist misplayed a line drive in left to allow another run to come in. Pujols followed with his grand slam down the left field line that measured just 351 feet, the shortest home run in the majors this season.
Mujica, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day, was pitching for the first time since May 21.
Giavotella capped the eight-run inning with an RBI single up the middle.
In the ninth, Pujols and Aybar ripped RBI doubles down the first base line to account for LA's final two runs.
Game Notes
Pujols' grand slam was the 13th of his career. It was also his 540th career homer ... Oakland activated Mujica and first baseman Ike Davis from the 15-day DL, optioned pitcher Arnold Leon to Triple-A Nashville and designated infielder Andy Parrino for assignment ... The Angels took two of three from Oakland earlier this month in LA.
- LOS ANGELES: 12
OAKLAND: 7
Final
Jun 20 1:16 AM - Erick Aybar doubles to right field. Albert Pujols scores.
Angels 12, Athletics 7 Top 9, 1 OutJun 20 12:58 AM - Albert Pujols doubles to right field. Mike Trout scores.
Angels 11, Athletics 7 Top 9, 0 OutsJun 20 12:55 AM - Johnny Giavotella singles to center field. Erick Aybar scores.
Angels 10, Athletics 7 Top 7, 2 OutsJun 20 12:25 AM - Pujols homered to left on a 1-1 count, Iannetta scored, Dan.Robertson scored, Trout scored.
Angels 9, Athletics 7 Top 7, 1 OutJun 20 12:16 AM - Albert Pujols homers to left field. Mike Trout scores. Daniel Robertson scores. Chris Iannetta scores.
Angels 9, Athletics 7 Top 7, 1 OutJun 20 12:16 AM - Trout hit a sacrifice fly, safe on fielding error by left fielder Zobrist, Joyce scored, Iannetta to third, Dan.Robertson to second, Trout to first.
Angels 5, Athletics 7 Top 7, 1 OutJun 20 12:15 AM - Mike Trout reaches on a sacrifice fly to left field. Daniel Robertson to second. Chris Iannetta to third. Matt Joyce scores. Fielding error by Benjamin Zobrist.
Angels 5, Athletics 7 Top 7, 1 OutJun 20 12:14 AM - Dan.Robertson walked on a full count, Giavotella scored, Joyce to third, Iannetta to second.
Angels 4, Athletics 7 Top 7, 0 OutsJun 20 12:07 AM - Chris Iannetta to second. Matt Joyce to third. Johnny Giavotella scores.
Angels 4, Athletics 7 Top 7, 0 OutsJun 20 12:07 AM - Joyce singled to left, Aybar scored, Giavotella to second.
Angels 3, Athletics 7 Top 7, 0 OutsJun 19 11:58 PM - Matt Joyce singles to left field. Johnny Giavotella to second. Erick Aybar scores.
Angels 3, Athletics 7 Top 7, 0 OutsJun 19 11:58 PM - Vogt doubled to right, Semien scored, Burns scored.
Angels 2, Athletics 7 Bot 6, 2 OutsJun 19 11:47 PM - Stephen Vogt doubles to right field. Billy Burns scores. Marcus Semien scores.
Angels 2, Athletics 7 Bot 6, 2 OutsJun 19 11:47 PM - Giavotella hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Reddick, Pujols scored.
Angels 2, Athletics 4 Top 4, 2 OutsJun 19 10:55 PM - Johnny Giavotella out on a sacrifice fly to right center field to Josh Reddick. Erick Aybar to second. Albert Pujols scores.
Angels 2, Athletics 4 Top 4, 1 OutJun 19 10:54 PM - Billy Burns singles to shortstop. Brett Lawrie scores.
Angels 1, Athletics 4 Bot 2, 2 OutsJun 19 10:25 PM - Johnny Giavotella doubles to deep left center field. David Freese scores.
Angels 1, Athletics 3 Top 2, 2 OutsJun 19 10:14 PM - Zobrist homered to right on a 2-0 count, Burns scored, Vogt scored.
Angels 0, Athletics 3 Bot 1, 0 OutsJun 19 9:52 PM - Ben Zobrist homers to right field. Stephen Vogt scores. Billy Burns scores.
Angels 0, Athletics 3 Bot 1, 0 OutsJun 19 9:52 PM - Efren Navarro grounds out to second base, Eric Sogard to Ike Davis.
Jun 19 9:39 PM - LOS ANGELES: 0
OAKLAND: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 19 9:38 PM
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