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Gallagher tames Angels in debut

Jul 12, 2008 - 6:25 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Jack Hannahan homered, scored twice and drove in three runs to back Sean Gallagher's strong American League debut as the Oakland Athletics downed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 9-2, on Friday.

Gallagher (1-0), one of the four players acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Rich Harden trade on Tuesday, yielded two runs and two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

"I was a little bit pumped, but I was able to control it," Gallagher said. "It was good adrenaline. I was able to bury my breaking ball and locate my pitches well."

After permitting back-to-back hits in the third inning, the righthander did not allow a runner to advance past first. Andrew Brown and Dallas Braden each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the victory.

Despite leaving the highest-scoring team in the National League for one of the lowest-scoring offense in the American League, Gallagher was also afforded the most run support of his major-league career, thanks in part to Hannahan's 3-for-4 game, including an RBI single in the first and two-run homer that staked the Athletics to a 9-2 advantage after four.

"It's awesome," Gallagher said of the scoring outburst. "You have to have confidence in your offense; you can't be scared to give up a run. It's great to know these guys will come through for me."

Trailing 2-1, the A's began their offensive assault in the third.

Jon Garland (8-6), who had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his prior four starts, unraveled in the bottom of the frame. The righthander, who fell to 4-11 career vs. Oakland, walked Jack Cust before Emil Brown hit a sinking liner off left fielder Juan Rivera's glove for a game-tying double.

Rookie Carlos Gonzalez doubled in Brown and was sacrificed to third by Mark Ellis. Daric Barton singled Gonzalez home, Hannahan walked and Garland hit Donnie Murphy with a 1-2 pitch to load the bases.

Two batters later, Matt Murton's two-strike line drive to right scored two and Cust's single ran the tally to 7-2. Angels manager Mike Scioscia brought in Justin Speier, who retired Brown to end the carnage.

"(Jon) didn't seem like he was able to repeat pitches like we've seen (from him)," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

In all, Garland allowed seven runs and 10 hits - one day after starter ace John Lackey tied an Angels' record by allowing 15 - to take the loss.

"I fell behind some hitters, couldn't finish others and, on top of that, it seemed like they knew what was coming," Garland said. "They did a good job."

Like Gallagher, Murton, another of the players the A's received from the Cubs, was making his Oakland debut.

"It was great to get that first day over with," Murton said. "You obviously want to make a good impression, get that first hit out of the way and catch a few balls."

Hannahan capped the scoring in the fourth with his two-run home run to right off Speier.