(SportsNetwork.com) - The Oakland Athletics try to win two straight for only the second time this season on Wednesday night as they resume a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The A's halted a four-game slide by winning Monday's opener 6-2. Los Angeles scored a pair of runs on David Freese's single in the top of the first inning, but Oakland countered with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Josh Reddick singled in two runs and Brett Lawrie followed with a three-run homer.
"It was big for us to come back with a big first after they started out with a good frame," said Reddick. "After that, Sonny didn't give them much to work with."
Reddick added a solo homer and Sonny Gray went eight innings while giving up just the two runs and striking out six.
Jered Weaver allowed six runs on six hits while striking out one in seven innings. He fell to 0-3 on the year and Los Angeles dropped its second in a row following a three-game win streak.
"That's not the way you want to start it off," said Weaver. "You just want to go out there and get a 1-2-3 inning, but obviously that didn't happen."
Oakland has won consecutive games just once, on April 13-14, and looks to do so again tonight behind Jesse Hahn.
Hahn has not started since leaving an April 18 victory over Kansas City due to a blister on his right hand. He did earn the win, hurling 5 1/3 scoreless innings to key the 3-0 decision. Hahn did not strike out a batter, but walked only one.
"I owe a lot of credit to Stephen Vogt because he keeps me in a good rhythm," Hahn said.
The 25-year-old is 1-1 with a 2.12 earned run average through three starts and has never before faced the Angels.
Los Angeles turns to Matt Shoemaker, who returns from the bereavement list to make his first start since a 6-3 loss to Oakland on April 20.
The righty had won his first two starts before allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks over three innings at home versus the A's. His big mistake was a three-run homer allowed to Vogt in the third inning and Marcus Semien took him deep for a solo shot the following frame.
"Matt never settled in to what he does best. We'll turn the page on this one," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Shoemaker, 28, has a 6.46 ERA on the season and fell to 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in three games (2 starts) versus Oakland.
The Angels and Athletics split a four-game set in Anaheim from April 20-23 and Los Angeles has won nine of the previous 13 encounters overall.
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