Angels benefit from rare error by Olson to beat A’s 12-7
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels blew a pair of late two-run leads including one by closer Hansel Robles and ran themselves out a potentially big inning when Kole Calhoun got duped by Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien.
And they still won. With slugger Mike Trout in the dugout nursing a sore right foot he hurt a day earlier.
Gold Glove first baseman Matt Olson made a rare throwing error in the 11th inning to allow the go-ahead run to score and the Angels beat Oakland 12-7 on Wednesday to send the A's to their second straight loss after a 10-game winning streak.
"It's just nice to come out and compete and see some of that paying off," Calhoun said. "A lot of teams could kind of shut it down after a comeback like they mounted two or three times today. We were able to come out and keep fighting. That's what it's going to take throughout a season."
César Puello had three hits, including his first career home run, and drove in four runs. He also scored on Olson's error that was his first in 75 games.
Puello was hit by a pitch from Lou Trivino (2-1) leading off the 11th and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Brian Goodwin walked, Luis Rengifo attempted to sacrifice both runners over. Olson attempted to field the bunt barehanded and bobbled the ball briefly before his throw to first sailed wide and into foul territory near the Angels bullpen.
Tommy LaStella singled three times and Jared Walsh had two hits and an RBI for the Angels. Shohei Ohtani singled, walked twice and scored once.
"We stuck with it, gave up a couple leads but ultimately got the win which is a good thing," Los Angeles manager Brad Ausmus said. "Every team in baseball has a couple games like this over the course of a season. It's nice to walk away with a win, especially on the road."
Olson, Mark Canha and Marcus Semien homered for Oakland.
Noé Ramírez (2-0) retired six batters to win.
The Angels came through in extra innings after a running blunder by Calhoun in the ninth after being hit by a pitch leading off. After Puello struck out, Goodwin hit a slow infield grounder. A's third baseman Matt Chapman fielded the ball and tried to throw the ball to second baseman Jurickson Profar but shortstop Semien intercepted the throw short of the bag. When Calhoun came off the base and deked as if he was going for third, Semien tagged him for the out. Rengifo followed with a drive into the gap in right-center to score Goodwin. Walsh then singled in Rengifo.
"I kind of lost track of the ball," Calhoun said. "I wasn't really sure if he even threw it, and then everybody's kind of looking at each other. I looked over and there wasn't anybody at third and I took a step and he was trying to tag me. I didn't think he had the ball. It was messed up. It was probably the loneliest feeling you could have on a baseball field."
Oakland's All-Star closer Blake Treinen gave up two runs in the ninth while Trivino lost for the first time in 26 games.
"It's kind of demoralizing when you tie the game, lose it, come back and then they score like that," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It ended up not being our day."
LONG TIME NO SEE
Puello hadn't been in the majors since 2017 when he made his debut with the Angels. He played one game with Los Angeles before being designated for assignment and picked up by Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old returned to Los Angeles this season and was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.
Puello hit a two-run single in the first, reached on an infield single in the fifth, then homered in the seventh off Yusmeiro Petit.
GOING SOLO
The A's have hit 15 home runs during the first six games of their homestand. Ten, including Semien's off Canning, have been solo shots. Oakland has homered in nine consecutive games overall.
SOLID START
Angels starter Griffin Canning struck out five in six innings and allowed three hits and one run. Canning became the first American League pitcher to have five or more strikeouts in each of his first six career starts since Oakland's Daniel Mengden in 2016.
TRAINERS ROOM
Angels: Trout could probably use a mental break as well. The two-time AL MVP is hitless in his last seven at-bats and is hitting .139 (5 for 36) with two home runs and three RBIs over his past eight games. . JC Ramírez will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Inland Empire on Thursday.
Athletics: Khris Davis (left hip/side) has been hitting light toss. . LHP Sean Manaea threw 40 pitches during a bullpen session before the game.
UP NEXT
Angels: Los Angeles will use an opener Thursday's game in Seattle. RHP Felix Pena (2-1, 3.22 ERA) is expected to follow the opener.
Athletics: RHP Mike Fiers (4-3, 5.00) pitches against Houston on Friday. Fiers has eight wins in 16 career starts at the Coliseum. All four of his wins this season have come at home.
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