Athletics blow late lead in 7-6 loss to Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Coco Crisp and the Oakland Athletics had a chance for a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. The bullpen just couldn't hold on.
Crisp hit a grand slam, but Oakland lost 7-6 Sunday when Jefry Marte hit a game-ending sacrifice fly for Los Angeles.
Mike Trout led off the Angels ninth with a single against Liam Hendriks (0-1). With one out and the bases loaded, Marte's fly ball to center field scored Trout easily from third and stopped the Angels' six-game losing streak.
The A's led 6-2 after six innings, but Trout hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Marte had an RBI single in the Angels' two-run eighth. Huston Street (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
John Axford was charged with his third blown save of the season when he gave up the two eighth-inning runs. He has allowed six runs in his last six appearances.
"You go through a point at the season where you're maybe not your best," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "His stuff is good. Probably just not the command, at this point, like we saw earlier."
Crisp connected with two out in the fourth. Marcus Semien followed with his 14th homer against Hector Santiago.
It was Crisp's first grand slam since 2007 and his seventh homer of the season. He went 5 for 9 in the series with six RBIs and six runs scored.
Melvin said Crisp is looks better than he has all season at the plate.
"The grand slam for us, after winning three games, we felt like we were in a really good position to win this game," Melvin said. "Typically, he plays really well here. He did again this series."
Before the Angels rallied, Sonny Gray was in line for his first win since April 22. The right-hander allowed six hits, struck out three and walked one.
"It definitely didn't feel great, especially early in the game," Gray said. "I didn't feel like I had my best stuff. I was able to make some mid-game adjustments and came away with an OK outing."
Trout's two-out drive to center against Fernando Rodriguez was his team-best 16th homer of the season and No. 156 for his career, moving him past Bobby Grich for seventh on the franchise list.
Santiago also pitched six innings and was charged with six runs and seven hits. He struck out six and walked four.
"Phenomenal," Santiago said. "My stuff was great, aside from four walks, but some of the guys I walked were hugely aggressive and swinging at some pretty good pitches. All around I think it was a great game. One bad pitch, I had two jams and singles that got through, Coco got really aggressive and I hung a breaking ball and he got it. Take away one bad pitch all day and it's a completely different game."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Sean Manaea is tentatively scheduled to pitch on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, Melvin said. Manaea was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 14 with a left pronator strain.
Angels: 3B Yunel Escobar has a bone bruise on his left knee. Manager Mike Scioscia said it doesn't appear as though he's headed for a stint on the disabled list. He's being held out until it heals. ... RHP Garrett Richards and LHP Andrew Heaney will both be re-examined on Monday. Both players have been shut down for the season with torn ulnar collateral ligaments in their pitching elbows.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (0-3) will try for his first major league win across the bay in San Francisco. Mengden has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his three starts.
Angels: Matt Shoemaker (3-8) starts Monday against Houston. Shoemaker is 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in in seven games against the Astros.