Shea Langeliers’ three-run home run in the first inning accounted for all of the runs for the Oakland A’s, but it was enough in a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Oakland, which has beaten the Angels in eight of their past nine matchups, will go for a four-game sweep Sunday afternoon.
Angels starter Tyler Anderson had allowed three runs or more in just eight of his first 20 starts, but he hit that mark in the first inning alone against Oakland.
Lawrence Butler led off the game with a single, stole second went to third on a one-out infield single by Brent Rooker. Langeliers then hit the first pitch he saw from Anderson — an 89 mph fastball — over the fence in center for a three-run homer, his 20th of the season.
Anderson, the Angels’ only All-Star, settled in and didn’t allow another run, completing seven innings. It was the eighth time in 21 starts this season that Anderson (8-9) has gone at least seven innings.
The Angels left-hander walked one and notched a season- and career-high 10 strikeouts.
The Angels’ offense, however, was unable to support Anderson. Their only run came in the third on Nolan Schanuel’s homer to right field, his 11th of the season.
After giving up the shot to Schanuel, A’s starter Mitch Spence (7-6) retired the next seven consecutive hitters until Jo Adell doubled with two outs in the fifth. Spence then got Schanuel to ground out.
Spence tossed six innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out three.
Austin Adams, Michel Otanez and Tyler Ferguson (second save) posted zeroes over the final three innings to secure the win.
The Angels finished with just four hits, getting Schanuel’s homer and Adell’s double along with a double from Willie Calhoun and a single by Zach Neto.