Maybin lifts Angels over Athletics
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Cameron Maybin had his best day in an Angels uniform Wednesday night, smacking three hits and driving in three runs as Los Angeles battered the Oakland Athletics 8-5 at Angel Stadium.
Maybin, acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the offseason in the hopes of filling an offensive abyss in left field, had his first multiple hit game since the second game of the season. His three RBIs were one more than he had all season.
He singled home the Angels' first run in the second inning, singled again in fourth and broke the game open with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the seventh. Kole Calhoun also had three hits as the Angels had 14 on the night.
Matt Shoemaker (1-1) needed 100 pitches to get through five innings but allowed only two runs to earn his first win of the season and first since suffering a fractured skull in September when hit by a line drive by Seattle's Kyle Seager.
The Angels earned their fourth win in five games.
Los Angeles led 4-3 before putting the game away in a wild seventh inning with a four-run rally aided by a handful of A's miscues.
Oakland reliever Ryan Dull gave up a single to Jefry Marte, walked Andrelton Simmons and hit Danny Espinosa to load the bases with one out.
Maybin drilled a single to right to score two runs. Martin Maldonado dropped down a suicide squeeze as Espinosa scored when catcher Stephen Vogt dropped Dull's throw to the plate. Calhoun later singled to make it 8-3.
Oakland's Matt Joyce hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Deolis Guerra to make it 8-5. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his third save.
Shoemaker allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out six. Angels' starting pitchers have given up two earned run or fewer in 11 of the past 12 games.
A's starter Sean Manaea (1-2) lasted just two innings before exiting due to left shoulder tightness. He gave up three runs on four hits.
NOTES: The Angels have a roster decision to make soon as Luis Valbuena returns from his rehab assignment and is ready to make his Angels debut. C.J. Cron has been the starter most of the season at first base, but Jefry Marte has filled in of late as Cron tries to break out of a season-long slump. Cron is hitting .208 with one extra-base hit. Marte, who made his second straight start at first Wednesday, is hitting .163. His edge is being able to play multiple positions. ... RHP Kirby Yates, who a brief appearance for the Angels last weekend, was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. ... The A's placed OF Rajai Davis on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring injury, giving the team nine players on the DL. Oakland recalled OF Ryan LaMarre and RHP Cesar Valdes from Triple-A Nashville. LaMarre was acquired in a trade with the Angels last week. RHP Raul Alcantara was sent to Nashville.