All-Star Game starter Shohei Ohtani pitched six shutout innings, but Ramon Laureano greeted reliever Steve Cishek with a three-run home run Monday night as the Oakland Athletics outlasted the visiting Los Angeles Angels 4-1 in the opener of a two-game series.
Left-hander Cole Irvin combined with closer Lou Trivino on an eight-hitter, helping the A’s end a two-game losing streak while sending the Angels to a second straight defeat.
Making his first appearance since earning the win in the All-Star Game last Tuesday, Ohtani dueled Irvin for six scoreless innings.
The A’s got just three hits off Ohtani, including doubles by Keith Moreland and Mark Canha, but saw 11 of their last 12 hitters retired by the right-hander.
Ohtani walked one and struck out eight in his third start this season in which he didn’t allow a run. He has yet to record a decision in any of those games.
Cishek (0-1) took over to start the last of the seventh and immediately walked Moreland and Matt Chapman before Laureano unloaded on the tie-breaking homer, his 14th of the season.
After seven shutout innings during which he allowed six hits and one walk, Irvin served up a single to Adam Eaton to lead off the eighth and was pulled in favor of Trivino.
Trivino retired all three batters he faced in the eighth, including getting Ohtani to pop out to end the inning, before allowing a one-out run in the ninth on Brandon Marsh’s third hit of the night, a double.
A two-out error allowed the potential tying run to come to the plate, but Trivino got Eaton to foul out for his 15th save.
Ohtani, batting as a pitcher in a DH-less lineup, finished 1-for-4 with his 20th double of the season.
Irvin (7-8) struck out three and narrowly missed his second combined shutout of the season.
Matt Olson belted his 24th homer of the season, a solo shot off Alex Claudio, to complete Oakland’s scoring in the last of the eighth.
Olson finished with two hits, while David Fletcher had a pair for the Angels, who out-hit the A’s 8-7.
–Field Level Media