Halos rally late to secure 1st win of season

OAKLAND -- The Angels’ offense woke up at the right time, as after breaking the club record for the most consecutive innings without scoring a run to open a season, they scored four times in the eighth in a 6-2 win over the A’s Friday night at the Coliseum.

It gave Brad Ausmus his first win as Angels manager, and he said he didn’t sense any frustration from his players before they finally rallied in the eighth, and added two more runs in the ninth against a club that went 70-2 when leading after seven innings last year.

"I didn't think we'd go scoreless the whole year," Ausmus said with a smile. "What was it? Sixteen innings without scoring? But we got on the board, and then we tacked on after taking the lead."

As Ausmus noted, the Angels had been held scoreless for 16 innings, breaking their previous record of 14 innings without a run to open the 2016 campaign. But the Angels rallied against reliever Joakim Soria with Jonathan Lucroy and Brian Goodwin connecting on back-to-back singles, before Kole Calhoun got them on the board with an RBI double.

Mike Trout was then intentionally walked to load the bases, which backfired for Oakland, as Justin Bour drew a walk off lefty Ryan Buchter to tie the game. Right-hander Liam Hendriks was brought in to face Andrelton Simmons, but Simmons responded with a go-ahead two-run single to give the Angels their first lead of the season.

"There wasn't really any frustration," Simmons said. "It didn't work out the first couple innings, but we eventually got it done. That's what matters most, that you get it done eventually."

Trout gave the Angels two insurance runs in the ninth, smacking a two-run double off the wall in right field off veteran reliever Fernando Rodney. Trout came up with two runners on and two out, but the A’s elected to pitch him aggressively and paid the price for it.

"You have the best hitter ever in your lineup," Lucroy said of Trout. "You have one of the best hitters ever, [Albert] Pujols, and you have a bunch of guys like myself who are accessories to that. And sooner or later someone is going to get you."

Harvey solid in debut

While he didn’t factor in the decision, Matt Harvey had a strong showing in his first start with the Angels, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over six innings.

Harvey, signed to a one-year deal worth $11 million this offseason, didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning on a slow roller from Marcus Semien, but escaped a bases-loaded jam that frame with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play.

"I think the big test was that fifth inning," Harvey said. "To get through that with no runs and strike a guy out, and get a weak ground ball for a double play, that’s what I remember from when I was good. Being able to get out of jams like that, that’s definitely a positive."

He wasn’t as fortunate in the sixth, and wasn’t helped by second baseman Tommy La Stella’s decision to cut off a strong throw from right fielder Calhoun that might’ve gotten Matt Chapman at second as he tried to stretch it to a double. Two batters later, Harvey hung a 1-2 curveball to a red-hot Khris Davis, who crushed it to left for a two-run shot -- his third homer of the season. But it was the only damage done against Harvey, who topped out at 95.6 mph with his fastball.

“Really, tonight he only made one mistake and that was Khris Davis,” Lucroy said. “It was a pretty impressive night. He definitely won this game for us for sure. Even though he came out and we were behind, he gave us a chance to win the game and allowed us to get to that bullpen.”

Bullpen preserves Ausmus’ first win

After Harvey departed, relievers Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey and closer Cody Allen combined to hold the A's scoreless over the final three innings to get the Angels their first win of the season.

Allen was warming up with a chance to get his first save with the Angels, but Trout’s two-run double in the ninth gave the Angels a four-run lead. The bullpen has yet to allow a run in five innings.

"It's always good to get in the win column," Ausmus said. "All the guys who came in today did a nice job. Robles looked particularly sharp."

Up next

Right-hander Felix Pena, who made the rotation with Andrew Heaney out with left elbow inflammation, will get the nod on Saturday against the A's. Pena was solid last year, posting a 4.18 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings, and is known for having an above-average curveball.