Oakland Athletics Bounce Back With A Win Against Los Angeles Angels

The Oakland Athletics played their second game in a three game series against the Los Angeles Angels this afternoon and ended up on top after nine innings. Overall, it was a great game for the A’s. The defense was solid, the offense was able to produce, and the pitching was on point.

Highlights

Per usual, Stephen Vogt was great offensively. He went 3 for 3 with one RBI and a walk. Oakland is beginning to realize that they need him in the lineup everyday no matter what, which is why Vogt was the designated hitter in today’s game.

Rookie Josh Phegley is also showing his potential behind the plate. In this afternoon’s game, Phegley hit a double, which drove in a run for the A’s in the sixth inning. In addition to his stellar defensive catching skills, this underrated Athletic is proving that he would not be a bad option for the role of everyday starting catcher when Vogt is gone.

In addition to Vogt and Phegley, Josh Reddick and Brett Lawrie were also able to help Oakland offensively today. Both hit doubles in the sixth inning allowing the Athletics to score two more runs. After such a disappointing loss yesterday, it is great to see the A’s win the second game of the series against the Angels.

The Good

Jesse Hahn seems to have fully regained his confidence since his outing on June 10 where he only went 3.2 innings and hit three batters. He was consistent with his ball placement and was able to get out of a few jams with runners in scoring position. Additionally, after last night, the A’s needed Hahn to go deep into the game to rest the bullpen and Hahn did just that.

Hahn threw 109 pitches and only allowed one earned run in 7.2 innings pitched. Ultimately, he trusted his own skills and had a great outing. As long as Hahn does not overthink his pitches and continues to grow his confidence, this rookie pitcher will remain a solid starter for the Athletics this season.

The Bad

Honestly, not much went poorly today. It is no surprise that the Athletics still need to work on their defense. There was one throwing error committed by Lawrie today, but it did not cause much damage. Overall, Oakland was pretty solid today.

The Notable

Ike Davis, who was activated yesterday, played in his first game since returning from the disabled list. Even though he did not earn a hit in any of his at bats, his return ultimately enhances the A’s defense. His Gold Glove quality skills at first base will help boost the team defensively and hopefully reduce the number of errors. Once he is able to get back on track offensively, Davis should have a big impact on this team.

Up Next

The Athletics play their final game of the series against Los Angeles at 1:05pm PT at the O.Co Coliseum tomorrow. Oakland will have their veteran ace Scott Kazmir on the mound. Kazmir has been extremely consistent this season, and it is expected that he will perform well tomorrow night.

Oakland batters will be facing Garrett Richards, who has struggled in his career against the Athletics. Richards has a 5.10 ERA and 2-3 losing record in 12 appearances against the A’s. Let’s hope the Athletics can dominate Richards early, drive up the his pitch count, and score some runs.

Next: Oakland Athletics' A.J Griffin Key To Moving Scott Kazmir