OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Zack Gelof had a two-run double to highlight a decisive five-run fourth inning to help JP Sears end a four-game losing streak, Esteury Ruiz hit a late two-run homer, and the Oakland Athletics pounded the new-look Los Angeles Angels 9-2 on Friday night.
The A's hit eight doubles to tie their second-most in franchise history as second-year manager Mark Kotsay earned his 100th win.
Sears (3-11) — tied for fourth-most in Oakland history with 13 no-decisions — went 0-4 over five starts in August and won for the first time since July 28 at Colorado. The left-hander allowed four hits over six scoreless innings.
Brett Rooker started things off with a double against Angels lefty Patrick Sandoval (7-11) in the fourth, when Aledmys Díaz added an RBI double, Jonah Bride singled in a run and Nick Allen hit a sacrifice fly.
It marked just the second five-run inning at home this season — and the A’s don’t have any bigger frames at the Coliseum.
Jordan Díaz added an RBI double in the seventh for the A's, who won for just the second time in six games.
Shohei Ohtani doubled in the sixth then reached on an automatic ball in the eighth on a pitch clock violation by Sean Newcomb before scoring on Brandon Drury's double. Logan O'Hoppe added his sixth home run in the ninth after connecting for the first of his career here during the opening weekend of the season.
Oakland is 3-5 against the Angels this season and hoping to avoid anything close to last year’s franchise-worst 7-12 mark in the divisional rivalry with three more matchups in Los Angeles to end the year.
PARIS' DEBUT
Touted Angels prospect Kyren Paris made his major league debut starting at shortstop and batting ninth.
He got hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance leading off the third and finished 0 for 2 with a walk.
Also promoted Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake after this week's waiver departures were right-handers Jimmy Herget, Gerardo Reyes and Andrew Wantz, lefty Koton Ingram and infielder Michael Stefanic.
Paris was set to become the 10th Angel to make his major league debut in 2023 and 61st different player used by the Angels this season overall, and he grew up in the East Bay suburb of Oakley cheering for the A’s.
Right-hander José Marte — called up Thursday — would be No. 62.
“To play right here in the Coliseum is going to be special,” Paris said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: INF Zach Neto (strained left oblique) hit in the cage and went through defense baseball activities on the field. He will continue to do so through the weekend in the Bay Area, go home with the team then likely begin a rehab assignment sometime next week. “Very promising with everything he's been doing, he's had no setbacks, no pain,” Nevin said. ... OF Mickey Moniak returned to the lineup for the first time since dealing with back soreness after leaving Tuesday’s game at Philadelphia in the seventh inning following a leaping grab against the center-field wall.
Athletics: RHP Luis Medina threw a bullpen after an outing with Triple-A Las Vegas and is expected to rejoin the A's bullpen soon after dealing with a blister on his right index finger. ... RHP Mason Miller, nursing forearm tightness in his pitching arm, will start for Las Vegas on Saturday with the hope of him getting his pitch count to around 50.
ROSTER MOVES
The A's recalled lefty Sam Long and catcher/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom from Triple-A Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
RHP Griffin Canning (7-4, 4.38 ERA) pitches for the Angels on Saturday looking to move to 2-0 this season against the A's, who counter with RHP Paul Blackburn (3-4, 3.93) as he looks to improve to 3-0 vs. Los Angeles in five career starts.
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