Chad Pinder hit a three-run home run and Ramon Laureano hit a solo shot as the Oakland Athletics rallied for an 8-4 victory over the host Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim, Calif., on Friday in the first meeting of the season between the American League West rivals.
Pinder had three hits while Laureano had four as Oakland moved back into first place in the division after falling out of the lead Thursday for the first time in 30 days.
Mark Canha and Jed Lowrie also hit home runs for the A's, while right-hander James Kaprielian was solid in his homecoming. Kaprielian, who went to high school in nearby Irvine, gave up two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second career start and fourth appearance.
Jose Iglesias and Jared Walsh hit home runs for the Angels, who lost for the fourth time in their past five games, all since three-time MVP Mike Trout was sidelined with a calf injury.
Laureano also contributed on defense when he robbed the Angels' Anthony Rendon of a two-run home run at the center-field wall in the seventh. Oakland led 6-4 at the time.
Canha's ninth home run of the season gave the A's a 1-0 lead in the third inning before Iglesias matched him in the bottom of the frame for his fourth of the season.
Two batters after Angels starter Jose Quintana was pulled from the game in the sixth inning with two runners on base, Oakland's Sean Murphy hit a two-run double off Mike Mayers for a 3-1 advantage.
The Angels answered right back in the sixth, hitting for a team cycle when Walsh hit a solo home run and Juan Lagares had a two-run triple, in addition to a single from Tayor Ward and a double from Jose Rojas.
Pinder put the A's on top for good 6-4 in the seventh when he crushed a three-run shot off Mayers (1-3), his second of the season. Laureano (11) and Lowrie (four) hit solo shots off Raisel Iglesias in the ninth.
Oakland right-hander Yusmeiro Petit (6-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
--Field Level Media
Oakland | LA Angels | |
James Kaprielian | Player | Jose Quintana |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.2 | IP | 5.1 |
9 | Strikeouts | 4 |
4 | Hits | 6 |
3.18 | ERA | 5.06 |
Oakland | LA Angels | |
Ramon Laureano | Player | Jared Walsh |
4 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 1 |
1 | HR | 1 |
8 | TB | 5 |
1.000 | Avg | .500 |