By ,
Published January 13, 2015
Jarrod Parker takes aim at his first win of the season on Tuesday when the Oakland Athletics continue a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at O.co Coliseum.
Parker, a 13-game winner as a rookie last season, lost his third straight start on Thursday to Baltimore and looked bad in doing so, as he was pounded for six runs in 6 1/3 innings to fall to 0-4, while ballooning his ERA to 8.10.
"It just seems like at times he gets a little out of sync and then all of a sudden he's spotting the ball pretty nicely and then all of a sudden he gets behind four hitters in a row and walks a guy and has trouble getting back and getting that feeling again," Melvin said. "I think that might be the issue right now."
Parker did not get a decision against the Angels back on April 9 and is 1-2 in five starts against them with a 2.90 ERA.
The Angels, meanwhile, will counter with righty Garrett Richards, who is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA. Continuing to fill in for the injured Jered Weaver, Richards absorbed his first loss of the season on Thursday in Seattle, as he allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings.
"I thought Garrett pitched much better than his line score is going to show," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He had a chance to put some hitters away, wasn't able to do it early, but as far as him getting after it and the movement on his pitches, he was terrific. It didn't work out tonight in some areas, but I thought he pitched a strong game and kept us in it."
It'll be a short turnaround for these teams after a marathon opener on Monday that ended when Brandon Moss' two-run homer in the bottom of the 19th inning lifted Oakland to a 10-8 win.
Seth Smith worked a leadoff walk against Barry Enright (0-1) and Moss smacked a no-doubt shot over the wall in right-center two batters later for Oakland's third walk-off victory of the year in its longest game in franchise history.
"That was exhausting," said Moss, who also homered in the sixth inning and finished 3-for-8 in the 6 1/2 hour marathon.
Jerry Blevins (2-0) worked 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win.
The Angels' J.B. Shuck worked a bases-loaded walk in the top of the 15th, but Adam Rosales' RBI single in the home half knotted the game at 8-8.
Josh Donaldson drove in two for the Athletics, who won their second straight in extra innings. Oakland went just 10 innings to beat Baltimore on Sunday.
Albert Pujols had two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored, while Mark Trumbo hit a solo home run and drove in three for the Angels, who have lost six of eight.
Oakland swept the Angels earlier in the season.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/oaklands-parker-takes-hill-versus-angels