Brown's two-run homer lifts A's over Angels, 4-2
The Los Angeles Angels have now lost four-straight games following their 4-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics Friday evening.
Despite leading 2-1 at one point, the Halos offense was able to tack on insurance runs, failing to secure a hit past the fifth inning of the contest.
The A's jumped to an early lead in the top of the first inning, when Jed Lowrie powered a 379-foot solo homer to right field, his second of the season.
Anthony Rendon promptly responded in the bottom of the frame, tying it up on an RBI single, which scored Shohei Ohtani after he walked and stole second base.
They then tacked on another run in the bottom of the third on a Mike Trout double, giving them the 2-1 lead.
Chase Silseth (1-1, 2.61 ERA) coughed up the lead in the top of the fifth when he allowed Seth Brown to launch a two-run shot to right on a 95 mile-per-hour fastball right down the middle of the plate.
Silseth, coming off of six shutout innings in his MLB debut on May 13, was saddled with the loss after lasting just 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He also struck out six and walked two.
The A's tacked on another run off of Angels reliever Kyle Barraclough in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Kelvin Smith.
After Oakland starter Paul Blackburn was removed from the game, four relievers combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings, securing the win.
Blackburn went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, striking out five and walking two.
Dany Jimenez earned his eighth save of the season with a one-two-three ninth inning.
Ohtani finished the night 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
Taylor Ward was removed in the top of the ninth inning after colliding face-first with the right field wall while catching a fly ball.
The loss was the fourth-straight for the Angels, who now find themselves 1 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros.
Michael Lorenzen (4-2, 3.57 ERA) will toe the mound for the Halos in the second game of the three-game series, facing off against Frankie Montaas (2-4, 3.67 ERA) at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.