JJ Bleday hit a three-run homer to highlight a seven-run third inning and Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Athletics to a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Darell Hernaiz added two hits and a stolen base and a run scored for the Athletics (65-77), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Mason Barnett (1-1), making his second major league start, bounced back from allowing a four-run first inning to pick up his big league win, allowing four runs on three hits over five innings. He walked five and struck out eight.
Jose Soriano (10-10) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on six hits and five walks in 2 1/3 innings. Soriano, who had allowed just five hits with 14 strikeouts over 12 2/3 scoreless innings in his previous two starts, threw 80 pitches, just 39 for strikes.
The Athletics took advantage of Soriano’s wildness to take a 2-0 lead in the first. Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker all walked to load the bases with no outs as Soriano threw 14 balls on his first 16 pitches. Kurtz scored on a double-play grounder by Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson drove in Langeliers with a single.
Los Angeles (66-75) bounced back to take a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the first as the first six batters reached base, including three on walks and another on a hit by a pitch. Taylor Ward and Jo Adell both drove in runs with bases-loaded walks, Luis Rengifo followed with an RBI single and Oswald Peraza added a sacrifice fly.
The Athletics sent 13 batters to the plate while scoring seven runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter in the third to break the game open. Bleday’s opposite-field three-run homer down the left field line, his 13th, was the big blow while Butler and Zack Gelof added RBI singles and Rooker drove in another run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Butler made it 10-4 in the ninth with his 19th home run off reliever Andrew Chafin, a 398-foot drive to right-center.
