Despite Lawrence Butler having what seems like his first quiet night in a long while, the Oakland A’s offense cobbled together just enough to edge past the Los Angeles Angels for the fifth time this month and clinch a winning July record.
The A’s went into a deep hole early after the returning Paul Blackburn gave up a quick four-spot in the bottom of the 1st on a pair of two-run homers. But that wasn’t enough to stop resurgent and still-surging Seth Brown, who had maybe his best night of the year. After the Angels took their four-run lead, Brownie quieted things down with a towering 93 mph fastball from Carson Fulmer to the left field seats, scoring himself and Shea Langeliers to cut the Angels’ lead in half.
Blackburn then cemented the Oakland’s momentum, switching gears into full Classic Pauly B mode. He retired his next 12 batters and held Los Angeles scoreless for the next four innings. Still down 4-2, Brent Rooker decided to finish the job that Brownie started. With Fulmer now out of the game after walking JJ Bleday, Rook got the honor of being Hans Crouse’s first batter of the game. Having worked a 2-1 count, the slugger got a hanging 84 mph slider and sent it deep to center field, doubling the A’s runs and tying the game at 4-4.
Later that inning, Shea Langeliers and Abraham Toro now at first and third, Seth Brown stepped up to bat and scorched another pitch, this time sharply down the right field foul line. It was so close to the line that the umpires originally ruled it a foul. Mark Kotsay successfully called for a review, prompting the crew overturned the result and rule it a fair ball. However, instead of rewarding Brownie the likely two bases and potential two runs he would’ve gotten if the incorrect call hadn’t stopped play, the umps went conservative and gave Oakland just a one-run single.
To relieve Blackburn, Kotsay went to Joey Estes in the 6th, confirming that the new-look rotation won’t have his name in it, at least in the short-term. He did well enough in a shorter outing, walking two while striking out none to hold the Angels scoreless for another 2 2⁄3 innings. T.J. McFarland got Estes out of trouble in the 8th, allowing Lucas Erceg to close out the ninth, earn the save, and clinch a 5-4 victory.
After sealing their 13th July win, the Oakland A’s have guaranteed themselves a winning record for the month with four games left split between the Angels and San Francisco Giants. Mitch Spence will keep his rotation spot for now as he’s slated to go tomorrow against veteran lefty Tyler Anderson.