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Gaudin outduels Weaver as Athletics stop Angels

Apr 18, 2007 - 6:33 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Phenom Jered Weaver was making his season debut, but Chad Gaudin stole the show.

Gaudin carried a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning and Bobby Crosby hit a three-run homer as the Oakland Athletics beat Weaver and the Los Angeles Angels, 4-1.

Weaver (0-1) started the season on the disabled list with right biceps tendinitis and allowed a run and five hits in 11 innings in two rehab starts for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. He tied the American League rookie record by starting the 2006 campaign with nine wins en route to an 11-2 record and a 2.56 ERA in 19 starts.

"I felt great," Weaver said. "I couldn't fall asleep last night, and got up early this morning, so I was pretty excited to get back out there. It felt good to be back."

The 24-year-old Weaver cruised through the first three innings, allowing just a single and back-to-back walks in the second, before struggling in the fourth.

Eric Chavez led off with a double over the head of center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. Mike Piazza walked and one out later Crosby drilled a hanging breaking ball over the left field wall for a 3-0 lead. After a two-base error by left fielder Garret Anderson, Jason Kendall produced a run-scoring single.

"I have just been trying to get my comfort level back," Crosby said. "To kind of break out and have a good night at the plate feels great. I think that's what it is though, just being able to get comfortable up there to the point where I can start generating some more offense."

"When your offense is struggling, it certainly magnifies some of the things that are happening on the mound," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "All and all Jared didn't make too many mistakes. Crosby hit a breaking ball that stayed in the middle of the plate and drove it out of the park. Outside of that, I thought he pitched a pretty good game."

Gaudin (1-0) allowed a leadoff single to Matthews and a walk to Izturis to lead off the game, but struck out the next three batters to escape. He cruised thereafter, retiring 13 straight at one point before hitting Howie Kendrick on the left hand with a pitch to start the seventh. Kendrick later left the game.

"My approach is to just try and get outs," Gaudin said. "Whether it's in relief or as a starter, closing or set up, I just try to get outs, one at a time. That has to be my main objective and luckily everything was working well for me tonight."

Anaheim, playing without Vladimir Guerrero, finally broke through in the eighth on a single and stolen base by Reggie Willits and a wind-blown double by Maicer Izturis. That ended the night for Gaudin, who yielded four hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings.

"Chad did a great job tonight," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He threw the ball real well. He was able to keep the ball down, threw some good fastballs, and his breaking ball was moving real good. He pitched tremendous."

Guerrero was hit on the left hand by a pitch in Boston on Monday.

Alan Embree got the last out of the eighth and closer Huston Street struck out two for his third save.

Los Angeles has lost seven of eight, scoring a grand total of 15 runs.

"Offensively we have got to end these give away at-bats," Scioscia said. "We have had a lot them over the past week, and we talked about it as a group. It's a matter of getting back into counts. Usually we're pretty good at that."