Oakland Athletics avoid series-sweep defeat to Los Angeles Angels, 2-1: MLB Update
The Oakland Athletics’ starter, Tyson Ross, had a remarkable day with the ball, as starter made nine strikeouts in the Club’s 2-1 sweep-avoiding victory over the Los Angeles Angels, at the Angel Stadium on Wednesday, April 27.
The right-hand hurler allowed just four scoreless hits over seven innings and persuaded three double-play grounders in his second start of the season. The Californian ball pitcher, who turned 24 years last Friday, walked just one and made three strikeouts in his fourth major league start.
The pitcher was pleased with his performance and expressed his thoughts and said, "I was pretty happy with my results. I made an adjustment from my last start and just tried to simplify my motion. I attacked the zone early, got my sinker over the plate and got a lot of ground balls. The only thing that matters is that we got the W, and it's going to be a nice plane ride home."
The Athletics has made impression in third inning with Daric Barton’s sacrifice fly to left field for RBI single. The Angels’ starter, Dan Haren, then did not allow even a single hit in his later four innings. Despite giving a run on three hits and two walks, Haren received no-decision in his first loss of five starts.
After the game, the 30-year-old pitcher, said, "I was all over the place in the beginning and falling behind in too many counts, trying to be careful. I did not do us any favours with a couple of leadoff walks, and then I hit a guy 0-2 after the error and pitch out of that. So I was bending but not breaking. The last couple of innings was as good as I've felt all year."
The Angels’ batter, Bobby Abreu, took advantage of the momentum, set up by the Haren and hit a tying double to left in ninth inning off the reliever, Brian Fuentes. The game became interesting in the tenth inning, but Oakland's left fielder, Conor Jackson, touched a lead generating single. The Athletics closer, Brad Ziegler, came in the bottom of the tenth inning, and tossed his perfect first save of the season.
In the tenth, a dramatic momentum occurred when the switch-hitter, Cliff Pennington, chipped a pitch from right-hander Jordan Walden. The Angels’ catcher, Vernon Wells, attempted a diving catch and the ball slipped off his glove as he almost bumped into Peter Bourjos. They nearly survived what nine-time Gold Glove winner, Torii Hunter, considered as a serious blow.
The Angels’ relievers, Hiroki Takahashi and Rich Thompson, did not allow any run in their short one-inning spells.
Tags: