Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Stephen Vogt smacked a three-run homer and the Oakland Athletics defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 6-3 in the opener of a four-game set.
Marcus Semien cracked a solo shot for the A's, who had dropped three of their last four games coming in.
Dan Otero (1-1) struck out four over four scoreless innings to pick up the win, while Tyler Clippard blanked the Angels in the ninth to notch his first save.
Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Angels, who have lost three straight.
Neither starter finished the fourth inning. The Angels' Matt Shoemaker (2-1) allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks over three-plus innings, while the A's Kevin Graveman surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and three walks over three-plus frames.
"Matt never settled in to what he does best, we'll turn the page on this one," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
The A's trailed 2-1 before plating three runs in the third to go in front.
Sam Fuld ripped a leadoff double down the left-field line and Mark Canha singled before Vogt launched an 0-2 hanging slider into the seats in right for a 4-2 Oakland advantage.
"I got a good pitch to hit and I didn't miss," Vogt said.
The Angels got a run back in the home half. Mike Trout reached on a fielding error following a grounder to shortstop and stole second prior to coming home on an Pujols single to left.
Oakland, though, answered back in the fourth when Semien atoned for his mistake by belting a leadoff shot to left for a 5-3 Oakland margin.
Fuld's sacrifice fly in the ninth provided some insurance, extending the cushion to 6-3.
Earlier, Ike Davis' sac fly opened the scoring for Oakland in the first, but the Angels countered with David Freese's two-out, two-run base hit in their first at-bat.
Game Notes
Oakland was 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while the Angels finished 2-for-11 ... Trout's steal was his third of the season ... Vogt has 12 RBI on the year.