AP

Fletcher’s leadoff homer propels Angels to 3-1 win over A’s

Aug 2, 2022, 9:35 AM | Updated: 11:47 pm

Oakland Athletics right fielder Stephen Piscotty dives but cannot make the catch on a pop fly from ...

Oakland Athletics right fielder Stephen Piscotty dives but cannot make the catch on a pop fly from Los Angeles Angels' Phil Gosselin during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. Gosselin drove in a run on the play and was thrown out at second base.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)


              Oakland Athletics right fielder Stephen Piscotty dives but cannot make the catch on a pop fly from Los Angeles Angels' Phil Gosselin during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. Gosselin drove in a run on the play and was thrown out at second base.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Oakland Athletics' Sean Murphy follows through on his RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels center fielder Magneuris Sierra makes a sliding catch on a line drive from Oakland Athletics' Nick Allen during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani smiles as he stands on second base with a double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Oakland Athletics right fielder Stephen Piscotty dives but cannot make the catch on a pop fly from Los Angeles Angels' Phil Gosselin during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. Gosselin drove in a run on the play and was thrown out at second base.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Oakland Athletics' Sean Murphy follows through on his RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels center fielder Magneuris Sierra makes a sliding catch on a line drive from Oakland Athletics' Nick Allen during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani smiles as he stands on second base with a double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani gets ready to bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani drops his bat as he lines out to center field during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Cole Irvin throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
            
              Los Angeles Angels' David Fletcher celebrates his solo home run with teammates in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — David Fletcher’s return to the lineup has been timely for the Los Angeles Angels.

The second baseman provided a leadoff homer in Tuesday night’s 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics and has a hit in all four games he has played in since coming off the injured list.

“I’ve had a couple bumps in the road, but I feel alright,” said Fletcher, who missed 69 games due to a left hip strain.

Fletcher — who is 5 for 14 with three RBIs since coming off the IL — drove a fastball from Cole Irvin (6-8) over the left-field wall for the Angels’ fourth leadoff homer this season. Of the 13 times Fletcher has gone deep in his five-year career, six have come from the leadoff spot.

“We don’t expect many of those out of him, but when a game starts like that, it’s a big shot in the arm for the group and the energy picks up,” interim manager Phil Nevin said.

The win also gave the Angels a positive start to August after they went 6-18 in July and had a team batting average of .199 for the month.

José Suarez — the planned last-minute starter after Noah Syndergaard was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies before the game — didn’t allow an earned run in his second consecutive start. Suarez (3-4) went five innings and gave up an unearned run on five hits. He struck out five.

Jose Quijada retired the side in the ninth for his second save.

“I feel great and more confident with my pitches,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “Since after the All-Star break I feel better about my changeup and slider.”

The Angels added a run in the second due to a pair of Athletics errors. Jo Adell had an infield single with one out and advanced to second on a throwing error by Oakland third baseman Jonah Bride. Adell then scored when Andrus made a wild throw from shortstop into the Athletics’ first-base dugout on a routine grounder by Phil Gosselin.

“Jonah got on his backside and made a long throw across the diamond, put too much on it,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “We talk about missing low, giving the first baseman an opportunity to make a play on a ball. Elvis just sailed one. You don’t see that very often from that pro.”

Gosselin gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead in the fourth on an RBI single.

Oakland got its lone run in the fifth. Bride drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Sean Murphy’s single.

The Athletics had the bases loaded with none out in the sixth, but couldn’t get any runs across after Andrew Wantz struck out Tony Kemp and got Bride to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Irvin allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits in six innings with four strikeouts.

“Overall we didn’t play our best game. Left runners on base tonight, couldn’t get the big hit, had the bases loaded (in the sixth), and that was kind of the turning point in the game really from a momentum standpoint,” Kotsay said.

ROSTER MOVES

Athletics: RHP Dany Jiménez and DH Jed Lowrie were reinstated from the injured list. Lowrie went 1 for 4, while Jiménez will likely be used in low-leverage situations in his first couple of appearances out of the bullpen.

Angels: The contract of INF Jose Rojas was selected after INF David MacKinnon was designated for assignment. Los Angeles had only 24 active players on the roster following the deadline-day trades of Syndergaard, outfielder Brandon Marsh and closer Raisel Iglesias.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP James Kaprielian (2-5, 4.50 ERA) had a 1.93 ERA in July, which was fifth in the AL.

Angels: RHP Shohei Ohtani (9-6, 2.81) has six straight games of double-digit strikeouts, one short of Nolan Ryan’s franchise record set in 1977.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Fletcher’s leadoff homer propels Angels to 3-1 win over A’s