Athletics fall again to the Angels, 10-5

Kurtz Homers Twice, but Losing Streak Hits Eight!

Hoping to end the losing streak at seven games, the Athletics took on the Los Angeles Angels tonight at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. The A’s 29-year-old lefty JP Sears faced off against Jack Kochanowicz for the Halos.

Kochanowicz walked three batters in the bottom of the first, loading the bases without a single hit. But Nick Kurtz struck out, stranding the runners. In the top of the second, Logan O’Hoppe homered to left center field scoring Jorge Soler. That gave the Angels an early 2-0 lead. But it didn’t last long. With one out, Seth Brown reached on a Tim Anderson error, and Max Schuemann singled, moving Brown to third. Then after a strike call that clearly annoyed Lawrence Butler he crushed a homer to straightaway center field. That gave the A’s a 3-2 lead. Tyler Soderstrom singled with two outs.

The A’s lead lasted no longer as Tim Anderson doubled over the head of Seth Brown to lead off the top of the third inning. Then Zach Neto homered to left field to retake the lead. In the top of the fourth the Angels added to that lead by hitting back-to-back homers off Sears. This time O’Hoppe and Jo Adell went yard to make the score 6-3.

Sears kept LA off the board in the top of the fifth and Kurtz hit his third homer of the year to tighten the score to 6-4 in the bottom half of the inning.

Tyler Ferguson relieved Sears in the top of the sixth and tossed a hitless, scoreless inning on three consecutive ground outs.

Nick Kurtz enjoyed his first homer of the night so much, he did it again in the bottom of the seventh to bring the A’s to within one. Luis Urías followed that with a single and Seth Brown walked, still with no one out. Schuemann tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt the Halos were able to get the lead runner at third. Butler popped out, bringing Shea Langeliers to the plate with two down. Unfortunately, he grounded into an unassisted force out at third to end the inning.

Michel Otañez replaced Ferguson in the top of the eight inning. Taylor Ward tripled over the head of Seth Brown in center field, and Jorge Soler doubled to drive in Ward. O’Hoppe walked. Otañez walked Adell to load the bases. Kotsay then brought in Matt Krook. It would be Krook’s third appearance for the A’s this year. On Krook’s second pitch Matthew Lugo hit into a 5-2-3 double play. O’Hoppe scored on a wild pitch. Krook walked Kevin Newman. Tim Anderson struck out looking to end the inning, but not before the Angels extended their lead to three, 8-5 going into the bottom of the eighth.

Matt Krook came out to start the ninth, facing Zach Neto to lead off. Neto singled and Nolan Schanuel dropped a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Neto attempted to steal third. He was called safe, but TV replays showed that he was clearly out. The A’s did not have a challenge left, and he scored when Taylor Ward singled to left field. Jorge Soler doubled off the wall in center field to score Ward from first. That made the score 10-5. Anthony Maldanado replaced Krook with one down. A wild pitch moved Soler to third. O’Hoppe struck out swinging for the second out, as did Adell for the third out.

The A’s went down quietly in the ninth and the final score was 10-5, giving our Athletics eight straight losses. During that streak they were outscored 62-21, not a stat to be proud of. Tomorrow they finish this four-game series with the Angels at 12:35pm at Sutter Health Park.