The Athletics' day-game woes continued and they have Mike Trout to thank for it.
Trout went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, but it was his leaping catch with two outs in the ninth inning that secured the Los Angeles Angels' 6-5 win over Oakland on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Los Angeles led 6-2 entering the ninth inning when things unraveled. Billy Butler walked and Josh Reddick singled to chase reliever Vinnie Pestano from the contest.
Closer Huston Street came on and immediately served up RBI singles to Brett Lawrie and Mark Canha. Stephen Vogt then walked to load the bases and after Max Muncy popped up, Sam Fuld singled in front of Trout to make it 6-5.
Marcus Semien popped out to deep second for the second out, and Ike Davis crushed a 1-2 offering to the warning track in center, but Trout tracked it the whole way and caught the ball at its highest point before giving a celebratory fist pump.
Garrett Richards (2-1) tossed six-plus innings and was charged with a run on four hits for the Angels. Mike Morin relieved Richards after he allowed a leadoff single to start the seventh inning and served up Canha's homer that produced Oakland's first two runs.
David Freese went 3-for-5, Kole Calhoun drove in three runs and Trout recorded his second consecutive multi-hit game after going his previous 10 without one.
Jesse Chavez (0-2) gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings for the A's, who fell to 0-8 in day games this season.
Johnny Giavotella singled in the game's first run in the third inning to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. It was his 10th RBI of the season and sixth against Oakland.
Taylor Featherston and Erick Aybar singled and Trout was walked intentionally in the fifth, setting up Calhoun's two-run single to right. Freese then grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Trout to score the fourth run.
Aybar doubled home Featherston in the sixth inning and Calhoun plated Trout in the seventh for two insurance runs that would prove crucial.
[SportsNetwork.com]
