Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Donaldson smacked a pair of home runs, while Brandon Moss added a grand slam and the Oakland Athletics defeated the LA Angels of Anaheim, 9-5, in the opener of a three-game set.
John Jaso and Coco Crisp posted two hits and a pair of runs scored apiece, with Crisp also supplying an RBI walk for Oakland, which had dropped six of its last eight games coming in.
"We had good energy coming out of the gate today," A's manager Bob Melvin said.
Drew Pomeranz (5-2) allowed five runs on four hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings in the triumph.
Garrett Richards (4-2) was shelled with five runs on five hits and three walks in just two-thirds of an inning for the Angels, who have alternated losses and wins over their last seven games. Howie Kendrick hit a two-run shot and Mike Trout added a solo homer in defeat.
The A's raced out to a 7-0 lead after plating five in the first, one in the second and another in the third.
Crisp and Jaso singled before Donaldson walked to load the bases for Moss, who cracked his slam over the scoreboard in right center to stake Oakland to a quick 4-0 lead. Jed Lowrie and Josh Reddick singled, Derek Norris walked and Crisp worked a bases-loaded walk to force in Lowrie.
Donaldson belted a leadoff shot over the wall in right center in the second and his RBI single in the third gave the A's their seven-run cushion.
Trout crushed a leadoff blast onto the stairwell in center field in the fourth and Kendrick added a two-run shot to left two batters later to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Oakland pushed across two more runs in the fifth before the Angels answered back with a pair of their own in the sixth.
Jaso had a two-out infield single before Donaldson whacked a two-run blast to straightaway center to extend the A's margin to 9-3.
C.J. Cron's two-run double in the sixth off Dan Otero trimmed the Halos' gap to 9-5. Oakland's bullpen held the visitors scoreless from there.
Game Notes
Donaldson has 15 homers on the season, while Moss blasted his 13th ... Trout has 11 roundtrippers on the year ... The A's were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, while the Angels finished 1-for-8 with RISP ... Moss left in the third inning with tightness in his calf.
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