Angels take advantage of mistakes to complete sweep of A’s
The A’s walk two batters and hit one during the Angels’ five-run sixth inning, sending the hosts to a 5-2 win. The A’s also have a rally of their own end because a runner fails to touch home plate.
The Angels’ Zach Neto hits a three-run double during the sixth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Roansy Contreras throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes throws a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel runs past second base on a hit during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Luis Rengifo celebrates at second base after hitting a double during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Roansy Contreras throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels left fielder Taylor Ward makes a running catch on a ball hit by the Oakland A’s Max Schuemann during the second inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Oakland Athletics’ Kyle McCann looks back after missing home plate during the second inning of a baseball game against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. McCann was called out; the call was upheld on review. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Angels catcher Matt Thaiss, left, looks on as the Oakland A’s Kyle McCann, center, was called out after failing to touch home plate for a run during the second inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels pitcher Roansy Contreras throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Oakland Athletics’ Kyle McCann reacts in the dugout to a challenged play during the second inning of the team’s baseball game against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto throws to first after forcing out Oakland Athletics’ Tyler Nevin (26) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Miguel Sano swings at a pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Angels relief pitcher Matt Moore throws to the plate during the fifth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes is greeted in the dugout after bering removed during the sixth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes gestures after being removed during the sixth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Luis Rengifo touches first base after Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes tried to pick him off during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher T.J. McFarland throws to an Angels batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Zach Neto hits a three-run double during the sixth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Zach Neto watches his three-run double against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Zach Neto rounds first on a three-run double against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Mickey Moniak scores as Oakland Athletics catcher Kyle McCann watches during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Luis Guillorme runs home to score on a three-run double by Zach Neto during the sixth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Matt Thaiss watches his RBI double next to Oakland Athletics catcher Kyle McCann during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Angels’ Zach Neto dives back to beat the tag by Oakland A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom on a pick-off attempt during the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Guillermo Zuniga, left, and first baseman Nolan Schanuel warm up before the ninth inning of the team’s game against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto catches a throw at second base during the ninth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
The Oakland Athletics’ Armando Alvarez high-fives a teammate in the dugout after scoring against the Angels during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Angels relief pitcher Guillermo Zuniga, right, celebrates with catcher Matt Thaiss after the final out of the ninth inning in their victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, left, and outfielder Jo Adell celebrate after their victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels celebrate a win over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
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Angels starting pitcher Roansy Contreras throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — A large Christmas tree sits outside Angel Stadium, a part of the team’s annual “Christmas in June” celebration.
Even though the promotions don’t begin until this weekend, the Oakland A’s brought the gifts early.
The Angels took advantage of a handful of gaffes to beat the last-place A’s, 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping the three-game series.
The Angels (33-46) have been out of contention for months, but they are still six games ahead of the A’s (29-54), who are in the midst of a multi-year slumber while they wait for their Las Vegas home to open to in 2028.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, whose three-run double put the Angels ahead in the sixth, said the victories shouldn’t be discounted because of the opponent.
“It’s not easy beating any team,” Neto said. “You still gotta go out there and contribute, and manufacture runs just to beat them. They have a really solid team over there, young just like ourselves, but we got the better of them today. We took advantage of their mistakes, just like better teams than us take advantage of us when we make mistakes.”
The Angels were trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning, when the A’s handed over the game. Starter Joey Estes gave up a leadoff single to Luis Rengifo, but then he struck out the next two. He walked Willie Calhoun.
Reliever Austin Adams entered and walked Luis Guillorme to load the bases. He then hit Mickey Moniak with a pitch, after getting ahead of him 0-and-2, to force in the tying run.
Neto followed with his three-run double.
“I was just trying to not strike out with the bases loaded,” Neto said. “Got myself in a two-strike count. I was just trying to not strike out trying to put a good bat on the ball and he left the slider kind of good to hit, and I was able to put a good bat on the ball and just hustle out of the box.”
Matt Thaiss doubled home Neto, extending the lead to 5-1.
Before all of that, the A’s let the Angels off the hook with some sloppy baserunning in the second inning.
With two outs and runners at first and second, Max Schuemann hit a ball into the gap in left center. Armando Alvarez scored from second and then Kyle McCann followed him home.
McCann, however, missed the plate as he ran by. Alvarez grabbed McCann’s arm, slowing him down, and then McCann retreated to touch the plate.
Umpire John Bacon immediately pointed to Alvarez and signaled that McCann was out, because Alvarez had assisted him. The A’s challenged that McCann touched home the first time, but the call was upheld.
Crew chief Alan Porter, who has been a major league umpire since 2010, said he had never seen that particular play, but it was a clear violation.
“(Alvarez) stopped him and basically told him to go back and touch home plate,” Porter said. “A player can not physically assist another player.”
Washington, 72, also said he’d never seen that call before, and he was thankful that the A’s made that mistake on such a routine play.
“There was no play at home plate,” Washington said. “There was no reason to miss home plate at all. You could have walked to home plate and touched it, but I’m glad he didn’t.”
That play helped bail out Angels right-hander Roansy Contreras. Instead of allowing two runs and having another runner in scoring position, he’d allowed one run and the inning was over. Contreras followed with a perfect third inning before allowing the first two hitters to reach in the fourth.
Contreras, who had started 30 games in the major leagues before Wednesday, said he appreciated the opportunity and hoped to do it again.
Right-hander Hans Crouse followed with two innings. Left-hander Matt Moore and right-hander Hunter Strickland worked an inning apiece. Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga handled the final two, allowing a run in the ninth.
By sweeping their third series of the season, the Angels have won 12 of their last 20 games.
“I feel like we’re playing good,” Neto said. “Just playing the game of baseball, just like we’re capable of.”
The A's seemingly scored two runs, but the second runner missed home, and then the first runner grabbed him as he went by. So the second runner was called out because he was touched. Confirmed on review. pic.twitter.com/TQxYEApMhm
