The Athletics erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning Friday night, turning a close game into a comfortable 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels behind a timely offensive surge and a steady outing from starter J.T. Ginn.
Shea Langeliers capped the decisive rally with an RBI single, the sixth consecutive hit by the Athletics during the inning. Ginn carried the lead the rest of the way, helping Oakland secure an important victory after entering the game with a pitching staff that had struggled throughout June.
The game also came on a significant day for the Angels organization. Earlier Friday, Los Angeles dismissed general manager Perry Minasian and named former St. Louis Cardinals executive John Mozeliak as interim general manager and baseball operations consultant.
Ureña Cruises Through Four Innings
For much of the night, Angels starter Walbert Ureña looked firmly in control.
The 22-year-old right-hander retired each of the first 12 batters he faced, opening the game by throwing 15 consecutive strikes. He needed only 36 pitches, including 31 strikes, to complete four perfect innings and appeared poised for another impressive start.
Ureña entered the game carrying a 1.93 ERA over his previous 10 outings, continuing one of the strongest stretches by any rookie starter in the league.
The Angels gave him an early lead in the fourth inning.
Donovan Walton drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single, putting Los Angeles ahead 1-0 and giving the home club momentum entering the middle innings.
Athletics Explode In The Fifth
Everything changed in the fifth as Oakland’s lineup suddenly found its rhythm.
Ureña opened the inning by issuing walks to two of his first three hitters. After requiring only 36 pitches through four innings, he matched that total during the fifth alone as his command began to fade.
Max Muncy then ended Ureña’s no-hit bid with an infield single that loaded the bases and set the stage for the Athletics’ biggest offensive inning of the night.
Jeff McNeil followed with a two-run single to give Oakland its first lead. Alika Williams added an RBI single before Henry Bolte lined a two-run single to extend the advantage.
Nick Kurtz continued the barrage with another run-scoring single, and Langeliers completed the seven-run inning by delivering the Athletics’ sixth straight single, pushing the lead to 7-1.
The remarkable sequence transformed a one-run deficit into a commanding six-run cushion in just one inning.
Ginn Settles In After Early Deficit
While the Athletics offense broke the game open, Ginn delivered a dependable performance on the mound.
The right-hander allowed three runs on eight hits over his outing while striking out five and walking only one. After surrendering the early run, he consistently worked ahead in counts and limited additional damage as Oakland’s offense took control.
His effort provided a welcome boost for an Athletics pitching staff that entered Friday with the highest ERA in the majors during June and had also allowed the most home runs in the league over that stretch.
Ginn improved to 6-4 with the victory, giving Oakland another quality performance from its rotation at an important point in the season.
Angels Show Brief Life
The Angels attempted to respond after falling behind.
Jo Adell connected for a two-run home run in the fifth inning, trimming the deficit and providing Los Angeles with its only significant offensive answer after the Athletics’ breakout inning.
However, the Angels could not build further momentum against Ginn or the Oakland bullpen.
Despite collecting eight hits, Los Angeles struggled to string together sustained rallies outside of the fourth and fifth innings. The club spent the remainder of the night trying to recover from the damage inflicted during Oakland’s decisive offensive outburst.
For Ureña, the outing ended as a tale of two very different performances. He dominated through four perfect innings before the Athletics capitalized on a sudden lapse in command during the fifth. After retiring his first 12 hitters with remarkable efficiency, he could not escape the inning as Oakland’s lineup produced six consecutive singles and seized complete control.
Athletics Capitalize On Momentum
Oakland combined disciplined at-bats with consistent contact during the fifth inning, refusing to let scoring opportunities slip away. Rather than relying on one big swing, the Athletics assembled a string of quality plate appearances that steadily expanded their lead.
That offensive approach, paired with Ginn’s solid work on the mound, carried the Athletics to a convincing road win and handed the Angels another setback on a day that also brought major changes to the club’s front office.
Up Next
The series continues Saturday night with the Athletics sending right-hander Jack Perkins, who is 2-3 with a 6.26 ERA, to the mound. The Angels will counter with left-hander Reid Detmers, who enters with a 3-5 record and a 3.93 ERA.
