After sinking the Oakland Athletics’ hopes for a third-straight American League West title last week, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim picked up another win in a game dripped with postseason implications on Tuesday, blanking Oakland 2-0 at the O.co Coliseum.
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Los Angeles (97-61) continued their strong play in the second half of the season, improving to 40-24 since the All-Star Break behind a dominant outing by left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings. His counterpart, Sonny Gray, was just as impressive, striking out a career-high 12 in the loss.
LeBlanc (13-10, 3.21 ERA) scattered five hits in the five-plus inning outing, striking out and walking just one. Four Angels relievers combined to allow just a pair of hits in relief of the southpaw in 3 2/3 innings, on a night where the club’s offense managed just three hits.
Oakland (86-71) fell behind early in the top of the second, when, with runners on the corners and one out, Hank Conger struck out swinging. The runner at first, Efren Navarro, took off for second base. Once the throw headed to second, Erick Aybar headed home, scoring before Navarro was retired in a rundown, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Neither team scored again until the sixth, when Gordon Beckham took a 1-0 pitch from Gray and deposited it into the left field bleachers for a solo home run that extended the Los Angeles lead to 2-0. The former Chicago White Sox infielder was making just his seventh start of the year at third base for the Angels – which were his first starts at the hot corner since he was a rookie in 2009.
Josh Reddick led all players offensively, going 3-for-4 on the night – including a double, while Eric Sogard went 2-for-3 for the Athletics, as well. Both teams went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position Tuesday night, although the Oakland offense left eight men on base, compared to just one for the Angels.
Right-hander Huston Street nailed down the win with a scoreless ninth, picking up his 40th save of the season for Los Angeles.
With the loss, the Athletics fall into a tie in the American League Wild Card race with the Kansas City Royals, who won earlier Tuesday. Seattle, which is now three games back of either club with just days left in the season, also lost.