Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani hits a line drive to center for an out in the bottom of the third inning against the visiting Oakland A’s at the Big A in Anaheim on Tue Aug 1, 2022 (AP News photo)
By Jerry Feitelberg
The sports world was saddened Tuesday night when news of the passing of legendary broadcaster Vin Scully. Scully was the voice of the Dodgers, first in Brooklyn, then in Los Angeles. Scully was 94 years old.
There are many broadcasters, but he was the best of the best. There will be many tributes to Vin in the coming days. As a personal note, I was privileged to meet and talked with him several times when the A’s played the Dodgers. He will be missed by all who knew him and listened to his magnificent ability to bring the game of baseball to life.
On Tuesday night, there was a baseball game in Anaheim between the A’s and the Los Angeles Angels. Frankie Montas was supposed to start for Oakland. Noah Syndergaard was supposed to go for the Angels. Both players had new teams on Tuesday. The A’s traded Montas and Lou Trivino for four prospects. The A’s received three pitchers and a position player. Two of the pitchers are left-handed. The Angels traded Syndergaard and outfielder Brandon Marsh to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Angels traded their closer Raisel Iglesias to the Atlanta Braves.
Cole Irvin started for Oakland, and the Angels countered with lefty Jose Suarez. Irvin pitched well, but Suarez was better. The Angels won the game 3-1.
The Angels’ shortstop, who loves to hit against the A’s, sent Irvin’s third pitch of the game over the fence in left field. Irvin settled down and retired the next three hitters. The Angels led 1-0 after one inning of play.
The A’s defense committed two errors in the bottom of the second to give the Angels an unearned run. Irvin retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the second. Angels left fielder Jo Adell reached on an infield single. A’s third baseman Jonah Bride’s throw to first went over the first baseman’s head for an error. Adell went to second. On the next play, A’s shortstop Elvis Andrus’s throw to first base got past Dermis Garcia for the second error of the inning. Adell scored to put the Angels ahead 2-1.
The Angels added a run in the fourth. With one out, Angels’ first baseman Jared Walsh doubled. Irvin retired Adell for the second out. Angel’s third baseman Phil Gosselin hit a flyball to shallow right field. Three players had a chance to catch the ball. Stephen Piscotty nearly caught the ball. He stretched out to catch it but could not get the ball into his glove. Walsh scored with the Angels’ third run of the night.
The A’s offense put a run on the board in the top of the fifth. Jonah Bride worked Suarez for a walk, leading off the inning. Bride went to second on a passed ball. A’s catcher Sean Murphy singled to drive in Bride.
The A’s had a chance to get back into the game in the top of the sixth. Righty Andrew Wantz was now pitching for the Angels. The A’s loaded the bases with no out. Tony Kemp pinch hit for Nick Allen and struck out. Wantz got Jonah Bride to hit into the pitcher’s best friend, a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Jimmy Herget retired all A’s six hitters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings. Left Jose Quijada set the A’s down in order 1-2-3 in the ninth to preserve the win for Los Angeles. The Angels win 3-1.
Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s dropped to 39-66. The Angels improved to 44-59.
Suarez was the winning pitcher. His line was five innings, five hits, and one unearned run. He is now 3-4. Cole Irvin absorbed his eighth loss of the year. Irvin went six innings allowing six hits, three runs, two earned, and one home run. Irvin has given up three leadoff home runs this season. He is the first pitcher in A’s history to accomplish that feat.
Elvis Andrus was the hitting star for Oakland Andrus had two singles and a double in four at-bats.
The line score for Oakland was one run, seven hits, and two costly errors. The Angels’ line was three runs, seven hits, and no errors.
Game two of the series will start at 6:38 pm Wednesday at Angels Stadium. Shohei Ohtani will gor for LA and James Kaprielian with pitch for Oakland.
The time of the game was 2:33. 22,920 were on hand to see the Angels win.