Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim maintained possession of first place in the AL West with a resounding 9-4 win over the Oakland Athletics.
After dropping the first two games of the series to fall into a tie atop the division, the Angels came out swinging against Oakland starter Scott Kazmir to move back ahead by one in the race.
The rivals open a four-game series in Anaheim on Thursday.
Josh Hamilton belted a two-run homer and Mike Trout added a solo shot for the Angels, who won for the first time in six games at O.co Coliseum this season.
Jered Weaver (14-7) held the A's scoreless through six innings, but couldn't complete the seventh.
Kazmir (14-6) was tagged for seven runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings.
"He just made some mistakes," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "Some balls were up, missed his location a few times."
In the second, Sam Fuld nearly made a remarkable grab at the center-field wall. Instead, two runs scored on a double by Erick Aybar, who extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Kole Calhoun had three hits, including an opposite-field double to left that plated Aybar later in the second.
The Angels went up 5-0 in the third on Hamilton's homer to right after Albert Pujols' leadoff single.
Kazmir's outing was done after Calhoun and Trout singled to begin the fourth. Jesse Chavez gave up RBI singles to Pujols and Howie Kendrick that sandwiched a Hamilton sacrifice fly.
Trout led off the sixth with his 29th home run of the season, a drive to deep center field off Chavez.
The A's then finally got to Weaver, who gave up a two-run homer to Alberto Callaspo and a solo blast to Andy Parrino in the seventh.
Weaver allowed eight hits and struck out eight with no walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Eric Sogard had a sac fly for Oakland in the ninth.
Game Notes
Los Angeles concluded its road trip with a 7-3 record ... Trout has homered in six of his last seven games at O.co Coliseum ... Callaspo finished with three hits ... Before the game, Oakland placed its closer Sean Doolittle on the 15- day disabled list with an intercostal strain and recalled pitcher Dan Otero from Triple-A Sacramento ... The A's bolstered their depth at catcher on Sunday. They acquired Geovany Soto, a former NL Rookie of the Year, from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations and minor leaguer Bryan Anderson from the Cincinnati Reds for international money.
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