Angels rally against Oakland bullpen in final scheduled visit to Coliseum, beat A’s 8-5

AP Baseball Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Pillar hit a two-run double in the eighth as Los Angeles rallied against Oakland’s bullpen, and the Angels beat the Athletics 8-5 on Sunday in likely their final game ever at the Coliseum.

Logan O’Hoppe singled to start the decisive inning. Pinch-hitter Nolan Schanuel had an RBI single and Jo Adell drew a bases-loaded walk from Lucas Erceg (2-3) as the Angels came back to snap a franchise-long eight-game losing streak at the Coliseum dating back to early last season.

An announced crowd of 10,380 was on hand for the Angels’ final scheduled trip to Oakland — where they clinched the 2004 and ’05 AL West crowns — before the A’s relocate to Sacramento for at least the next three years ahead of their planned move to Las Vegas for what they hope is the start of the 2028 season.

“There’s so much that has been going on in this place, I’m going to certainly miss it as a guy that’s been a coach here, as a guy that watched a lot of young players grow here and now as a guy that came back and managed here,” said Ron Washington, the longtime A’s third base and infield coach now guiding the Angels. “The crowd is still the same, the people here still love the Oakland A’s and it’s just a sad thing that things are about to change. In life, there are changes.”

Luis García (4-1) pitched the eighth for the win, then Carlos Estévez finished for his 18th save.

The Angels went 193-260 at the Coliseum since the A’s moved to Oakland in 1968.

“It was great and I’m going to miss this place, but I’m glad I got a victory here,” Washington said.

He received the ball from the final out from Pillar, who knew what that souvenir would mean to the veteran manager given all his years in Oakland.

“We fell behind, we had to fight to come back, and we did what we had to do to make it happen, and that’s what it’s all about,” Washington said. ”… I hope the win today gets us back on track, because we hadn’t been able to score runs the first two games here.”

Miguel Andujar hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth for the A’s, who had rookie right-hander Joey Estes in strong position to win back-to-back starts for the first time all year. He struck out four and walked two, allowing two earned runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings as the A’s had their three-game winning streak snapped.

JJ Bleday and Brent Rooker hit consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the third inning, when Lawrence Butler also doubled to get things going for the A’s.

The Angels got one back with Brandon Drury’s sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth then tied it on a home run by Mickey Moniak in the fifth.

Andujar’s fourth homer of the year chased Angels righty Carson Fulmer, who gave way to Hunter Strickland.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: OF Mike Trout (knee) faced live pitching and extensive defensive work in the outfield at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona and “had a good time, he’s biting at the bit,” Washington said. He’s set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake City on Monday. … 1B Schanuel was held out of the starting lineup before entering late a day after exiting following his at-bat in the third inning because of tightness in his left calf. … RHP Griffin Canning (elbow) threw a bullpen after leaving Friday’s start in the fourth inning as a precaution.

Athletics: SS Jacob Wilson went on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Saturday with a strained left hamstring he sustained running the bases in his major league debut Friday. There is no timetable for his return. … Reliever Luis Medina will seek a second opinion on his sprained pitching elbow that has damage to the UCL to determine whether he needs surgery. … RHP Ross Stripling, working back from a strained pitching elbow, will throw a bullpen Monday or Tuesday following his five-inning rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday. … INF Abraham Toro was reinstated from the IL and started at third.

UP NEXT

LHP Tyler Anderson (8-8, 2.97 ERA) takes the mound for the Angels in their series opener Monday at Seattle. … Oakland begins a three-game home series with Houston by sending LHP Hogan Harris (1-3, 3.40) to the mound opposite Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-7, 5.63).

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