ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker both hit their ninth home run in July, and the Oakland Athletics continued their power surge with a 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
Daz Cameron put Oakland on top with a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Angels’ starter Kenny Rosenberg (0-1). The Athletics have hit 21 homers over the last eight games and their 135 for the season are fourth in the majors.
Butler and Rooker’s nine homers in July are tied for third in the majors.
“Overall this group has been swinging the bats really well and it showed tonight,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We got down, we were able to to come back and hold the lead.”
Luis Rengifo had a two-run double during a five-run second inning for the Angels, who had won four in a row.
Oakland’s Ross Stripling (2-9), activated before the game after missing two months due to a strained right elbow, snapped a four-game losing streak. The right-hander went 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Rookie Tyler Ferguson retired the Angels in order in the ninth for his first major league save.
Butler leads the majors with 26 RBIs in July and is second with a .412 batting average. He led off the game with a double, stole third and scored when Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s throw was wide of the bag.
The right fielder then drove a cutter from Rosenberg over the wall in center for two runs to get the Athletics within 5-4 in the second inning.
“They had a big inning. (Max) Schuemann got on like he always does and I was just trying to keep it going for the team. I just happened to hit a two-run homer to get us back in the game,” Butler said.
Rooker is batting .403 this month, third-best in the majors. He extended Oakland’s lead to 2-0 in the first inning with a solo shot beyond the bullpens in left field.
The Angels sent nine to the plate and grabbed a 5-2 lead in the second inning. Rengifo’s two-run double gave the Halos a three-run lead. Earlier in the inning, O’Hoppe and Zach Neto had RBI base hits and Mickey Moniak added a sacrifice fly.
Rosenberg allowed six runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the season.
“Thing is when we make mistakes in the wrong part of the plate with pitches they’re not missing,” manager Ron Washington said. “We put the five on the board, if we could just got a shut down inning, but then they got two. Then in the fourth they got two more and that was the ballgame.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP Mason Miller was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Tuesday. The All-Star closer broke the pinky finger on his non-pitching hand when he pounded a table in frustration after he was reminded he had to do postgame lifting following Monday night’s game against Houston.
Angels: OF Mike Trout (left knee) saw doctors on Thursday after his rehab stint in Salt Lake City was cut short. Trout left Tuesday’s game in the second inning due to knee soreness.
UP NEXT
Athletics RHP Paul Blackburn (3-2, 4.11 ERA) is expected to be activated off the injured list after missing the past two months due to a right foot injury. RHP Carson Fulmer (0-2, 3.66 ERA) will get the start for the Angels.
