Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker each hit their ninth home run in July, and the Oakland Athletics kept their power surge going with a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
Daz Cameron gave Oakland the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Angels’ starter Kenny Rosenberg (0-1). The Athletics have hit 21 home runs in their last eight games and their 135 home runs for the season rank fourth in the majors.
Butler and Rooker’s nine home runs in July are tied for third in the majors.
“Overall this group has been swinging the bats really well and it showed tonight,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We got down, we were able to come back and hold the lead.”
Luis Rengifo had a two-run double during a five-run second inning for the Angels, who had won four games in a row.
Oakland’s Ross Stripling (2-9), activated before the game after missing two months due to a strained right elbow, ended a four-game losing streak. The right-hander pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Rookie Tyler Ferguson retired the Angels in order in the ninth inning for his first major league save.
Butler leads the majors with 26 RBIs in July and is second with a .412 batting average. He started the game with a double, stole third base, and scored when Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s throw was off-target.
Butler then hit a cutter from Rosenberg over the center field wall for a two-run homer to get the Athletics within 5-4 in the second inning.
“They had a big inning. (Max) Schuemann got on like he always does and I was just trying to keep it going for the team. I just happened to hit a two-run homer to get us back in the game,” Butler said.
Rooker is batting .403 this month, which is the third-best in the majors. He extended Oakland’s lead to 2-0 in the first inning with a solo shot beyond the bullpens in left field.
