Bonner Scores 24 To Lift Connecticut Sun Past Minnesota Lynx 78-73
OAKLAND, Calif. -- — Lawrence Butler homered, JP Sears won for the first time in more than a month, and the Oakland Athletics blanked the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday for a second straight game by the same 5-0 score to complete a three-game series sweep.
Miguel Andujar and Brent Rooker hit back-to-back RBI singles in the third and Tyler Soderstrom added a sacrifice fly in the decisive inning on a hot Independence Day in the Bay Area, with an announced holiday crowd of 11,956.
Oakland's pitching shut down an Angels lineup that had been on quite an offensive run.
“This offense that we faced had scored five or more runs in (seven) consecutive games, they had won six of their last seven, they swept us in Anaheim, beat a Detroit team at home, came here really confident and really swinging the bats well," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “So our pitching staff really did a great job this series of controlling their offense, keeping the guys that had really been providing the offense at check and not giving away free bases.”
Sears (5-7) struck out six and walked one, allowing two hits over five innings to snap a six-start winless stretch since beating Houston on May 25. The left-hander had dropped his previous four decisions.
“It's contagious, you just want to do what the guy did before you,” Sears said.
The Angels lost a fourth straight game coming off a 5-0 shutout Wednesday. They were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since June 20-21, 2023 at home against the Dodgers.
The club now has a six-game losing streak at the Coliseum.
"It was just a tough overall series," said center fielder Kevin Pillar, who made several sparkling catches and said he was close to snagging Butler's eighth inning drive. “We were playing really good baseball at home, you got that off day, you come here, just playing these guys not a lot of secrets.”
Right-hander Roansy Contreras (1-1) walked two of the first three batters in the third to get in trouble, then gave up the run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly before another walk — and that was it in his second start for the Angels. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings.
The Angels played the first of four straight day games as they head to Chicago to face the Cubs — their first visit to Wrigley Field since 2019.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: OF Mike Trout hit on the field off a tee during Monday's off day and is running on a treadmill as he recovers from a torn meniscus in his left knee. Manager Ron Washington saw the video and said “he looked natural.” ... 3B Luis Rengifo was feeling better after exiting a night earlier with an injury on his lower right arm near the wrist after fouling a ball off it in the ninth inning. ... 3B Anthony Rendon (left hamstring strain) will return to regular third base duties when healthy, with some games at designated hitter as needed, Washington said.
Athletics: LHP Kyle Muller has rejoined the team from his rehab assignment and is expected to be activated from the injured list this weekend after dealing with tendinitis in his pitching shoulder.
UP NEXT
RHP Griffin Canning (3-8, 4.71 ERA) takes the mound for the Angels in the series opener with the Cubs. LHP Hogan Harris (1-2, 3.18) pitches for the A's in Friday’s series opener against Baltimore, which counters with RHP Albert Suárez (4-2, 2.43).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Mothers Day Mothers Day 2024 Blog Header Happy Mothers Day Greeting Card Design With Flower And Typographic Elements On Blue Background Vector Celebration Illustration 160 Best Mothers Day Wishes Messages For Friends And Family Happy Mothers Day 2018 3 Mothers Day PNG Picture When Is Mothers Day In 2023 Moms Day Happy Mothers Day 2024 Th?q=When Is Mother%27S Day 2024 In Usa Today&w=1280&h=720&c=5&rs=1&p=0Mothers Day2 1200x834 Mothers Day 2024 F0a6efc8de00de011598f888287e80ed 1ed670aa18652d0c24a1e8829dba28ee Maxresdefault Mothers Day 2024 Date 1593fc113ed5aeb7dffcd7ba45847b16 Mothers Day Image Bouquet Flowers Mother When Is Mothers Day 2023 Mothers Day 2023 Surprise Gift 1683959568840 1683959574573 Dbd03857 57b6 48cc Ab92 20068213d58b 1140x641 289e4194ed9f83e9d7a22819d333b36b MV5BODlmZThjZGItOGRmMC00ODVjLWIzYWMtODBhYzQyZjE4NWE5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz. V1 UY1200 CR90,0,630,1200 AL Copy Of Moms Day Happy Mothers Day GIF 7 Maxresdefault Mothers Day 26 Maxresdefault The Mother 2023 Pl ?itok=whIIF M1331cd6525ded228ca8485c560e88caf The Mother 2023 Mothers Day Logo PNG High Quality Image