Lincecum wins Angels debut
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Tim Lincecum made a triumphant return to the major leagues Saturday in his debut for the Los Angeles Angels, pitching six strong innings in a 7-1 victory over the Oakland A's at Oakland Coliseum.
Lincecum gave up one run and four hits, struck out two, walked two and threw 98 pitches.
Lincecum (1-0) appeared in a big league game for the first time since June 27, 2015, when he started against Colorado in his ninth and final year with the San Francisco Giants.
Lincecum, who underwent season-ending left hip surgery on Sept. 3, signed with the Angels as a free agent on May 20. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner was called up Saturday after making three starts for Triple-A Salt Lake.
The Coliseum crowd of 25,078 included dozens of fans wearing Giants jerseys with Lincecum's name and No. 55 on the back. When Lincecum took the mound in the bottom of the first inning, he received a loud ovation with many of the fans standing. He received loud ovations after completing each of his six innings.
The Angels gave Lincecum plenty of offensive support. Mike Trout went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a double and three RBIs. Johnny Giavotella hit a solo home run and scored twice. Yunel Escobar went 3-for-5 with a double, drove in one run and scored once.
With starting pitchers Rich Hill and Sean Manaea on the disabled list, A's manager Bob Melvin turned Saturday's game over to his bullpen.
Right-handed reliever Andrew Triggs was called up from Triple-A Nashville and made his first career major-league start. He allowed one run and three hits in three-plus innings and exited after giving up a leadoff home run to Trout.
The A's used six more pitchers and the Angels scored six more runs. Ryan Dull (1-2) gave up one run, Fernando Rodriguez three and John Axford two.
The A's took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Billy Burns lined a one-out single off Lincecum, stole second and, after Stephen Vogt walked, scored on Danny Valencia's broken-bat single to center. Lincecum hit Khris Davis with a pitch to load the bases, but he retired Jed Lowrie on a ground ball.
The Angels answered with two runs in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Trout hammered Triggs' 3-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for his 14th home run of the season. Giovotella lined a home run to left with two outs off Dull. The home run was Giovotella's career-high fifth of the season, surpassing his total for last season, and third of the week.
The Angels added five runs in the sixth, increasing their lead to 7-1. Albert Pujols led off with a single and scored with one out on Andrelton Simmons' sacrifice fly. Escobar had an RBI single with the bases loaded, and another run scored on shortstop Marcus Semien's error. Trout drove in two runs when he blooped a bases-loaded double to right that a diving Burns couldn't catch.
NOTES: A's utility man Tyler Ladendorf was optioned Saturday to Triple-A Nashville, opening a roster spot on the 25-man roster for RHP Andrew Triggs, who was recalled from Nashville and made his first career major-league start against the Angels. Ladendorf is batting .080 with one RBI in 26 games over two stints with the A's. ... A's RHP Liam Hendriks (right triceps strain) is "ready to go" and will be activated from the 15-day disabled list "in the next couple days," manager Bob Melvin said. Hendriks, who had a rehab assignment in Nashville, worked out in Oakland before Saturday's game. ... Angels OF Todd Cunningham was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake, opening a spot on the 25-man roster for RHP Tim Lincecum, who was recalled from Salt Lake and made his Angels debut, starting against the A's. Cunningham is batting .083 in five games for the Angels. ... Angels C Geovany Soto (right knee surgery) caught a bullpen session Friday, then took batting practice on the field and played catch Saturday. He will have another workout Sunday and is "getting close" to going on a rehab assignment, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.