Major League Baseball

Calhoun leads Angels to 6-5 win over A's

Published Apr. 30, 2015 7:15 p.m. ET

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) All eyes were on Mike Trout as he tracked Ike Davis' long fly ball to the wall. He had to make a late adjustment but was able to haul it in, prompting Los Angeles closer Huston Street to pump his fist into the air.

Kole Calhoun had two hits and three RBIs, Garrett Richards took a shutout into the seventh inning, and the Angels held on to beat the Oakland Athletics 6-5 Thursday.

It was Trout's catch, with the bases-loaded, that preserved the victory for the Angels, who have won five of seven to end April with a .500 record (11-11).

''We have a 6-0 lead at one point, the offense did its job early, that's a game you can't give back,'' Street said. ''Off the bat I didn't think he hit it that hard. The ball just kept going, so I watched Troutie's glove. It has to go there for the game to be over. I think I pulled an oblique with the fist pump. It was excitement and a sigh of relief.''

The Angels took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth and that's when things got interesting.

Vinnie Pestano started the ninth by walking Billy Butler and giving up a single to Josh Reddick.

Huston Street came on and gave up run-scoring singles to Brett Lawrie and Canha. He walked pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt to load the bases before getting pinch-hitter Max Muncy on a pop up.

Sam Fuld followed with another RBI single. Street, who allowed his first runs of the year, got Marcus Semien on a popup before Davis hit a ball to deep center that Trout caught before hitting the wall to give the closer his ninth save.

''He's really good,'' Davis said of Trout. ''We hit a lot of balls hard that were caught. That's a recipe for losing, when you hit doubles that are caught and you hit them right at people.''

Erick Aybar, Johnny Giavotella and David Freese also drove in runs for the Angels. Richards, making his third start after opening the season on the disabled list, was pulled after Reddick singled to open the seventh, and was charged with a run after Mark Canha's home run off Mike Morin.

Richards (2-1) gave up four hits, walked three and struck out five.

Canha drove in three runs as the A's lost for the sixth time in seven games to fall to 9-14 and match their worst home start in Oakland history at 4-9.

Jesse Chavez (0-2) lasted five innings for the A's. He allowed four runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out five.

Calhoun, batting cleanup in the absence of Albert Pujols, drove in two runs in the fifth after Trout, who added two hits and was on base four times, was walked intentionally.

Calhoun improved to .438 hitter (7 for 16), with seven RBIs, in eight games batting fourth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: Pujols was out of the lineup with a sore hamstring suffered late in Wednesday night's victory over the A's. Manager Mike Scioscia said the team would re-evaluate him daily.

Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle (strained left rotator cuff) threw 25 pitches and felt fine. He will throw another bullpen on Sunday. ... RHP Jarrod Parker (Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to make his next rehab start with Triple-A Nashville. ... Canha returned to the lineup after missing a few days with an illness.

PITCHING RECORD CHANGE

RHP Mike Morin (1-0), who struck out the only batter he faced, became the official winning pitcher of Wednesday night's 6-3 victory over the A's. The victory was incorrectly awarded to RHP Fernando Salas, who threw a scoreless inning after taking over for Morin. Salas (0-1) does get credit for a hold.

UP NEXT

Angels: LHP C.J. Wilson (1-2, 3.12) starts Friday night's game at San Francisco. He's 9-7 with seven saves in 50 career interleague games, including 20 starts. He beat the Giants in his only previous start against them, in 2012.

Athletics: LHP Scott Kazmir (2-0, 0.99) opens the series against the Rangers in Texas on Friday night. Opponents are batting .051 against him with runners on base. His 10 wins against the Rangers match his most against any team.

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