Butler hits a home run, Sears throws the A’s to a 5-0 victory over the Angels

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Lawrence Butler hit a home run, JP Sears won for the first time in more than a month and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels by the same score, 5-0, on Thursday for the second straight game to complete a three-game series sweep.

Miguel Andujar and Brent Rooker hit two-straight RBI singles in the third inning and Tyler Soderstrom added a sacrifice fly in the deciding inning on a hot Independence Day in the Bay Area, where 11,956 spectators were announced.

Sears (5-7) had six strikeouts and a walk and allowed two hits in five scoreless innings, ending a six-game winless streak dating to the May 25 win over Houston. The left-hander had lost his previous four decisions.

The Angels lost their fourth game in a row after a 5-0 win on Wednesday after scoring five or more runs in seven straight games. They kept a clean sheet in two consecutive games at home against the Dodgers for the first time since June 20-21, 2023.

With this defeat, the club’s losing streak at the Coliseum extended to six games.

Right-hander Roansy Contreras (1-1) got himself into trouble in the third inning by walking two of the first three batters, but then allowed the scoring singles and a sacrifice fly before getting another walk – and that was it in his second start for the Angels.

Butler hit a 400-foot home run in the eighth inning.

The Angels played the first of four consecutive day games en route to Chicago to face the Cubs – their first visit to Wrigley Field since 2019.

TRAINING ROOM

Angels: OF Mike Trout hit the field from a tee on Monday’s off-day and is now running on a treadmill as he recovers from a torn meniscus in his left knee. Manager Ron Washington saw the video and said “he looked natural.” … 3B Luis Rengifo was improving after leaving the field the night before with an injury to his right forearm near the wrist after hitting a ball off it in the ninth inning. … 3B Anthony Rendon (left hamstring strain) will return to his regular duties at third base after recovering, playing some games as the designated hitter if needed, Washington said.

Athletics: LHP Kyle Muller has returned to the team from rehab and is expected to come off the injured list this weekend after overcoming tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.

NEXT

RHP Griffin Canning (3-8, 4.71 ERA) will be on the mound for the Angels in the first game of the series against the Cubs. LHP Hogan Harris (1-2, 3.18) will pitch for the A’s in the first game of the series against Baltimore on Friday, who will be countered by RHP Albert Suárez (4-2, 2.43).

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