The Los Angeles Angels had the Athletics right where it wanted them and could have evened up the four-game series but collapsed over the final five innings on Friday.
The Los Angeles Angels had a great opportunity to even up its four-game series with the Athletics after having a huge lead, but the bullpen collapsed and the Halos lost 12-11 in extra innings.
The Angels went down 4-0 by the third inning after a solo home run in the second, pair of doubles and a groundout in the third but Los Angeles came back with a seven-run fourth inning.
The inning was highlighted by Denzer Guzman’s first career home run, a three-run homer hit by center fielder Jose Siri and shortstop Zach Neto’s third homer in his last four games, putting him at 16 on the year.
Catcher Logan O’Hoppe stayed hot, belting a three-run shot in the fifth inning and first baseman Nolan Schanuel hit a solo shot in the sixth, the last run the Angels scored. That should have been fine, as an 11-4 lead should have been more than enough to win, but this is the Angels we’re talking about.
The A’s got one back in the bottom of the sixth, two more in the seventh, eighth and ninth to tie the game before walking it off on a walk-off walk in the 10th.
Per OptaSTATS, the Angels are the first team in Major League Baseball history to hit five or more home runs, score seven or more in an inning and have at least a seven-run lead and lose the game.
The Halos will try to erase that game and bounce back with a win in the third game of the series, which will feature a pitching matchup of rookie right-hander Walbert Urena and righty J.T. Ginn.
Urena has been excellent in his debut season, posting a 4-5 record with a 2.60 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 58 strikeouts to 35 walks through 13 appearances (11 starts, 62.1 innings). He last pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks and took the loss after tossing seven innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks with three punchouts.
The last time Ginn faced the Angels earlier this season, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning. Unfortunately for Ginn, he allowed his first hit and gave up a walk-off homer within three pitches. The 27-year-old is 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA (14th), 1.16 WHIP and 68 strikeouts to 32 walks through 16 games (13 starts, 77.1 innings).
Ginn last worked against the Pittsburgh Pirates and carved them up, completing six innings of one-run ball (zero earned) on six hits and two walks while fanning three.
First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.
