Angels' Weaver finds form and shuts out Athletics
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Jered Weaver pitched the eighth shutout and 14th complete game of his career Sunday, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-0 victory against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum.
Weaver (6-6) allowed three hits, struck out one, walked one and needed only 95 pitches.
Weaver's last shutout and complete game came on May 8, 2015, in a 2-0 victory against the Houston Astros when he allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none.
Catcher Carlos Perez hit his third home run of the season for the Angels, a solo shot in the fifth inning that extended their lead to 2-0.
The Angels won their fourth straight series against the A's, taking two of three games and beating them for the fifth time in six games this season.
Weaver, 33, went 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA in his first four starts this season but 2-6 with a 6.54 ERA in his next nine starts before facing the A's.
Entering the game, Weaver had allowed 18 home runs, tied for second most in the major leagues. He served up two homers in each of his previous three starts and at least one in eight straight outings.
Weaver kept the A's in the ball park and baffled them with a mid-80s fastball and a curve in the high 60s.
A's left-hander Eric Surkamp (0-5) remained winless in eight starts this season, but he had his best outing of the year. Surkamp allowed two runs and six hits over a season-high six innings. He struck out five, another season high, and walked two.
The Angels took a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning off Surkamp. Yunel Escobar grounded a leadoff single to left, moved to second on Kole Calhoun's walk then tagged and advanced to third when Mike Trout flied out to right field.
Escobar scored on Albert Pujols' ground ball to shortstop Marcus Semien. Semien got the force at second, but Pujols barely beat Jed Lowrie's throw to first.
Perez increased the Angels' lead to 2-0 with a leadoff home run in the fifth inning. He crushed Surkamp's 1-0 fastball into the left-field stands.
A's designated hitter Billy Butler led off the fifth with a drive to the right-center gap, but Trout threw him out at second. Weaver didn't give up another hit or allow another base runner until Butler led off the eighth with a single. But he retired the next three A's in order.
NOTES: Athletics RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder surgery) has been shut down for the second time this season during his comeback attempt after experiencing pain in his throwing shoulder Saturday during a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville. He will be examined again by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Last year, Alvarez had season-ending shoulder surgery on July 28. ... A's LF Khris Davis was out of the starting lineup with a sore calf. He left Saturday's game after seven innings because of cramping in a calf. ... A's RHP Andrew Triggs, who made his first career major-league start Saturday against the Angels, was optioned to Nashville. ... A's RHP Liam Hendriks (right triceps strain) was activated from the disabled list. ... RHP Tim Lincecum, who pitched six innings in his Angels debut on Saturday, responded well to his first major-league start in nearly a year. "Tim feels good," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's still pumped up. He said he still has adrenaline. He came out of it fine." ... Angels C Geovany Soto (right knee surgery) won't be ready to start a rehab assignment Monday, but Scioscia said he is hopeful he will be playing rehab games by the end of the week.