video thumbnail

OAK@TEX: Milone strikes out four over seven innings

When the Angels and A's begin a three-game series Monday, there is no place A's left-hander Tommy Milone would rather be than on the mound at spacious Oakland Coliseum.

Angels right-hander Jerome Williams, who will oppose Milone, doesn't so much care where he does it, he just wants to improve command of his pitches after giving up double-digit hits in his last two outings.

Milone is 5-3 with a 4.09 ERA, but is a 3-0 with an 0.39 ERA at Oakland Coliseum this season, having beaten the Royals, White Sox and Tigers, allowing just one run in those three games.

There's obviously something that agrees with him about pitching at Oakland's home park.

"Especially having a bigger park like that, it's a lot easier to throw to contact," Milone said. "That's my game plan when I'm there, just to get contact and, obviously, hopefully they hit it to somebody."

This is Milone's second start against the Angels.

He earned the win on April 19, allowing seven hits and two earned runs over five innings in a 4-2 A's win at Anaheim.

Williams (4-1, 3.86 ERA) was credited with the win in a 7-2 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday even though he was touched for 10 hits in his eight innings of work.

"I wasn't keeping the ball down," Williams said Sunday of his last outing. "I was leaving the ball out over the plate, having guys swing at good pitches, and I just wanted to try to keep the ball down to get some ground balls."

Even though he gave up 10 hits, Williams' performance was an improvement over his previous outing May 11 against the Rangers when he gave up 11 hits and six earned runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 10-3 loss to the Rangers.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia pronounced himself more than satisfied with Williams' performance against the White Sox.

"He attacked the zone," Scioscia said. "He gave up some hits, a lot of singles, but for the most part, he had the ball in good zones, got some double plays. When he got to counts to strike guys out, he made his pitches and struck out some tough hitters. Jerome pitched an outstanding game."

Angels: Trout doing it all
• Rookie center fielder Mike Trout comes to Oakland on a nice roll. Trout was 3-for-4 with a home run and two stolen bases in Sunday's 3-2 loss in 13 innings to the Padres. Trout's batting average stood at .355 after Sunday's game.

• Albert Pujols comes into the series with the A's with his batting average at .211 with three home runs and 18 RBIs.

A's: Running game slowed
• The A's have gone a season-high five consecutive games without a stolen base. Prior to Sunday's games they were first in the American League and second in the Major Leagues with 38 stolen bases. Miami, with 46, leads the Major Leagues in stolen bases.

Worth noting
• The Angels wound up with infielder Howie Kendrick playing left field in the 13th inning Sunday and it cost them. The Padres' Clayton Richard scored the winning run from first base on an error by Kendrick, who bobbled the ball after fielding Will Venable's single to left-center.

MLB.com Comments