Nothing separated the teams after six innings. Then the Angels took over. Los Angeles scored in the seventh, eighth, and eighth again, turning a 2-2 deadlock into a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night at Angel Stadium before 37,064 fans.
Reid Detmers set the tone for the Angels, working 5.2 innings and striking out 8, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks on 99 pitches. It was not a decision for Detmers, but his effort kept Los Angeles in the game through the middle innings. Ryan Zeferjahn, who earned his fourth win of the season, followed with a scoreless inning, striking out 2 on 16 pitches. Kirby Yates closed it out with a perfect ninth — 1 strikeout, 9 pitches — recording his second save of the season and reaching 100 career saves in the process.
Oakland struck first. Jonah Heim launched a 445-foot home run to center in the second inning, giving the Athletics a 1-0 lead. Los Angeles answered in the fourth when Jo Adell tripled to left, scoring both Nolan Schanuel and Jorge Soler to put the Angels ahead 2-1. Oakland tied it in the sixth on Colby Thomas's single to left, which brought Nick Kurtz home to make it 2-2. The Angels reclaimed the lead for good in the seventh when Denzer Guzman singled to left and Josh Lowe scored, making it 3-2. In the eighth, Oswald Peraza singled to center to score Vaughn Grissom, and Logan O'Hoppe followed with a single to center that scored Adell, pushing the final margin to 5-2.
Oakland starter Jack Perkins went 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk. Geoff Hartlieb took the loss — his first of the season — after allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 0.2 innings of relief, falling to 1-1 on the year with a 3.18 ERA.
Yates's save was more than a number in the box score: he reached 100 career saves in this game. He is also 8 games away from 500 career games played. The Angels moved to 34-49. Oakland, which had won two straight entering the night, fell to 40-42.