A's, refusing to give up, give Angels fits
OAKLAND -- There are a number of flags flying above McAfee Coliseum, six of them commemorating the American League pennants the Oakland Athletics have won here.
Not one of them is white.
Any speculation the A's gave up on this season by trading ace Rich Harden and reliever Chad Gaudin to the Chicago Cubs on Monday was quashed in convincing fashion Friday night.
Sean Gallagher, a 22-year-old right-hander who was the centerpiece of the trade with the Cubs, was dominant in seven innings, giving up two runs and two hits and striking out seven to lead the A's to a 9-2 victory over the Angels.
And left fielder Matt Murton, another player acquired in the deal, keyed a six-run third inning with a two-run single, as the A's, who pulled to within four games of the Angels in the AL West, pounded 15 hits and knocked out starter Jon Garland in the third inning.
Garland, who gave up one run and six hits in his last start, a 98-pitch complete-game win over Toronto, was rocked for seven runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest start since last Aug. 19.
"Everything was up, everything," Garland said. "I got ahead of guys and couldn't put them away. I fell behind guys and started nitpicking. Overall, it was a bad game. On top of that, it seemed like they knew every pitch that was coming."
As if another rough night against the A's wasn't enough -- the right-hander is 4-11 with a 5.22 career earned-run average against them and 1-3 with a 7.48 ERA in four starts against them this season -- Garland also had issues with home-plate umpire Chris Guccione, chatting with him after he was pulled.
"I was a little upset because he was telling me to hurry up when he let every guy take their time in the box," Garland said. "We had meetings about this. I let it be known, we had our quibble and moved on."
Angels starters entered Friday tied for second in the AL with a 3.70 ERA, but they've had a rough couple of nights in Texas and Oakland.
Combined with the 15 hits the Rangers got off ace John Lackey in the Angels' 11-10 victory Thursday night, opponents have gone 25 for 45 (.556) against Angels starters in the last two games.
Gallagher also applied a choke hold on an Angels offense that has been showing signs of life in July, batting .289 and averaging 6.4 runs a game this month before Friday night.
