Morin gives up winning runs in 10th as Angels lose to A's

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - One day after picking up a win in a similar situation, Los Angeles Angels reliever Mike Morin chose the wrong hitter to challenge.

Anxious to make up for an earlier error, Yonder Alonso hit a tiebreaking RBI double off Morin in the 10th inning to lead the Oakland Athletics to an 8-6 victory over the Angels on Wednesday night, avoiding a three-game sweep and snapping a five-game losing streak.

Morin (2-2) got the first two outs of the 10th inning before the A's scored twice. Danny Valencia and Tyler Ladendorf singled before Alonso's double to center scored Valencia with the go-ahead run. Marcus Semien followed with an RBI single.

"I got the first two guys out, which is obviously important," Morin said. "But then a base hit to the right side, a couple of them in a row and then I fell behind Alonso 2-0. He was geared up for a fastball and I was going to challenge him, but he put a good swing on it."

Alonso made up for an error that allowed the Angels to tie the game in the eighth.

Jefry Marte and Jett Bandy hit back-to-back singles off John Axford to start the eighth and pinch-hitter Mike Trout drew a walk to load the bases. Johnny Giavotella sent a grounder to first base that Alonso bobbled, allowing Giavotella to reach safely and Marte to beat the throw home and tie the score at 6-6.

"He's swinging the bat really good right now," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "I think when something transpires like that, you can't wait to get in a position where you can go help your team and he definitely did that."

Ryan Madson (4-4) then came in for Axford and retired Yunel Escobar and Kole Calhoun, and pitched a scoreless ninth.

Ryan Dull pitched the 10th to get his second save.

With his family visiting from South Korean, Ji-Man Choi homered twice off of Jesse Hahn, belting a solo home run in the second inning and a three-run shot that curled around the right-field foul pole in the third inning that gave the Angels a 5-2 lead. He nearly had a third home run in the fifth inning but Coco Crisp reached into the left field stands to make the catch.

It was not only Choi's first multi-homer game of his major league career, but it was also his first multi-hit game.

"I really wanted a multi-hit game because I had never had one," Choi said through an interpreter. "This was my first major league multi-hit game, so it's very crazy to do it in front of my family."

Valencia, Max Muncy and Ryon Healy all homered for Oakland.

Tied at 5-all in the top of the seventh, Jhoulys Chacin walked Jake Smolinski and Bruce Maxwell to start the inning. Crisp's one-out double off the wall in right-center drove in Smolinksi to put the A's ahead.

The A's tied the score in the fourth with three runs off Ricky Nolasco.

In his first start since being traded from the Minnesota Twins on Monday, Nolasco, who grew up 50 miles away from Angel Stadium in Rialto, gave up five earned runs and six hits, including the three solo home runs.

After being recalled earlier in the day to make the start, Hahn gave up five earned on seven hits in four innings for Oakland.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Athletics: RHP Henderson Alvarez was checked for thoracic outlet syndrome this week but a specialist, Dr. Greg Pearl, found no evidence of the condition. Alvarez, who is cleared to start a conditioning program, had shoulder surgery last July and isn't likely to pitch for Oakland this season.

Angels: CF Trout wasn't in the starting lineup after battling what was described as a mild cold. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Trout had been feeling under the weather all week. Shane Robinson played took his place in center field.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP Dillon Overton (1-2, 9.33 ERA) will face the Chicago White Sox at home in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday..

Angels: RHP Tim Lincecum (2-5, 8.49 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season for the Angels when they open a series in Seattle. Lincecum, who grew up 12 miles away from Safeco Field in Bellevue, Wash., is 1-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two starts against the Mariners.