Recap: Oakland vs. LA Angels
Sports Network | September 17, 2008
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Sean Gallagher twirled seven stellar innings to lead the Oakland Athletics to an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the opener of a three-game series.
Gallagher (5-6) allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts for the Athletics, who have won three straight games. Ryan Sweeney finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI while Jack Hannahan homered in the win.
John Lackey (11-4) suffered the loss after he allowed four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Angels, who have already clinched the AL West division title but saw their five-game win streak halted.
Kendry Morales' homer, in the top of the fifth, provided the only run in the losing effort.
The Athletics scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to grab the lead for good. Hannahan's one-out solo homer preceded an RBI single off the bat of Sweeney.
In the home sixth, two more Oakland runs made it 4-1. Kurt Suzuki doubled leading off, moved to third on a groundout and crossed the plate when Lackey uncorked a wild pitch. Bobby Crosby followed with a single and raced around to score on a double by Daric Barton.
Jason Bulger started on the hill for the Angels in the seventh and yielded three more runs. Walks to Aaron Cunningham and Jack Cust sandwiched a single by Sweeney to load the bases and another free pass to Suzuki brought home Cunningham. Bulger then hit Travis Buck to force in Sweeney.
That brought Darren O'Day in from the bullpen and he got two quick outs, but the second bases-loaded walk of the inning -- this one to Hannahan -- brought in another run.
The scoring was capped by a Buck RBI single in the eighth.
