ANAHEIM, Calif. -- No one is calling the Los Angeles Angels' offense a juggernaut, not when the team has scored three runs or fewer 53 times in 110 games.

But they have definitely gotten warmer at the plate at the right time. The Angels bounced back from a four-run deficit Friday night against the Oakland Athletics to take an 8-6 win, get back to .500 for the first time since July 2 and find themselves just two games behind in the American League race for the second wild-card playoff spot. They've won four straight and six of seven.

Cliff Pennington and Luis Valbuena had clutch two-run singles in the sixth and seventh, Pennington's in the sixth cutting the margin to 6-4 and Valbuena's in the seventh tying the game. Yunel Escobar followed with an infield single to take the lead and Mike Trout singled home a run for insurance.

It was the ninth game in the last 14 that Los Angeles has scored six runs or more. The Angels are hitting over .280 in that period and averaging almost six runs a game. They hit .221 in the previous 20 games.

"We know what the offense has been through this season, mostly inconsistent," left fielder Ben Revere, who had two hits, an RBI and scored the winning run, said. "But we also knew we would snap through it and go on a streak. We know we're capable of scoring runs."

Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia has been talking all season about lengthening the lineup -- getting clutch hits from the bottom of the order. That's where many of the big hits have come from lately.

"The last 10 games or so, we're putting a lot of pressure on teams -- running the bases aggressively, getting hits from the bottom of the lineup, getting guys in scoring position," Scioscia said. "You just have to keep pressing teams."

They received an assist from the Oakland bullpen, which blew up in diverse ways.

The A's led 6-2 when starter Jharel Cotton came out in the fifth, but reliever Liam Hendriks allowed two inherited runners to score. Daniel Coulombe started the seventh and walked the first three batters he faced to load the bases.

Blake Treinen came in and gave up the three hits in the seventh.

"We made our own bed," manager Bob Melvin said. "That's Daniel's usual spot, and he couldn't throw a strike. Then we bring in our closer in the seventh and put him in a bad spot. Six runs should have been enough to win that game."

Melvin admitted the bullpen is being renovated after Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson were traded at the end of July.

Matt Chapman hit a three-run home run off Angels starter Troy Scribner in the second, and Khris Davis had a two-run double in the fifth for Oakland. Scribner went four-plus innings and allowed two hits, five runs and walked four in his first major league start. Jesse Chavez (6-10) got the win in relief, with Blake Parker and Bud Norris (18th save) finishing up. Coulombe (2-2) took the loss.

NOTES: Angels RHP Matt Shoemaker had to shut down a bullpen session Friday and he may be lost for the season after pain resurfaced in his right forearm. He has a radial nerve compression condition that continues to flare on him, and he and the team doctors are now considering surgery. ... LF Cameron Maybin went 2-for-4 with a double and stolen base in a rehab assignment for Triple-A Salt Lake. He will make one more rehab start and will be activated Sunday or Monday. ... Angels RHP Daniel Wright was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake. OF Ramon Flores was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He was recalled while Kole Calhoun was unavailable after a minor hamstring strain. He was 1-for-8 with a RBI in three games. ... SS Andrelton Simmons extended his hitting streak to 13 games, tying his career high. ... A's RHP Daniel Gossett (3-6, 5.17 ERA) was optioned to Nashville. ... The A's picked up C Dustin Garneau off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. He hit .206 with one home run and six RBIs in 68 at-bats with the Rockies.