Los Angeles Angels’ Josh Hamilton (left) and Mike Trout celebrate after defeating Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Sundayin Anaheim, California.
Mike Trout hit his career-high 31st homer and drove in three runs, Matt Shoemaker pitched seven shutout innings of five-hit ball, and the Angels completed a masterful four-game sweep of the A’s with an 8-1 victory Sunday.
‘’That was a huge series for us in regards the playoffs and the AL West, a huge series,’’ said Shoemaker (14-4), who got his sixth win in August. ‘’I just wanted to keep it going.’’
Chris Iannetta also homered and had three hits for the Angels, who took a five-game lead in the division standings with the best record in the majors at 83-53. Outpitching the A’s vaunted staff and outhitting Oakland’s usually productive lineup, Los Angeles outscored the A’s 18-4 in the four-game set.
‘’We’re having fun and we’re winning ballgames, but it’s still August,’’ Trout said before grabbing his Philadelphia Eagles helmet out of his locker and threatening to wear it to the draft. ‘’Can’t get too excited yet.’’
Still, it’s tough for the Angels not to get a little bit stoked by their surge, which includes a six-game winning streak. They shut out the A’s for the 29 consecutive innings during the series, and their sellout crowd loudly chanted ‘’Sweep! Sweep!’’ as the Angels finished it off.
Trout had a two-run single during a six-run second inning for Los Angeles, which has won 15 of 19. The A’s have lost 14 of 20.
‘’It was embarrassing. Pathetic,’’ said A’s manager Bob Melvin, who was ejected in the second inning. ‘’We don’t play like that. The last three games here were the worst I’ve seen this team play in I can’t remember how long. I feel bad for our fans to have to watch that.’’
Scott Kazmir (14-7) got just four outs for the A’s, and he criticized home plate umpire Gerry Davis afterward. Kazmir also claimed Davis had been reprimanded by baseball officials for making a ‘’cry-baby face’’ at the Oakland dugout Saturday
Elsewhere, in a series mostly marked by Chicago Cubs homers, St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday provided some thunder of his own at a sold-out Busch Stadium.
Holliday’s bases-loaded two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning snapped a 6-6 tie and capped a St. Louis rally from a 5-0 deficit.
Holliday, whose solo homer in the fourth started the comeback, drilled a 1-2 pitch off reliever Carlos Villanueva (5-7) and past third baseman Luis Valbuena into left field.
It scored second baseman Pete Kozma and first baseman Daniel Descalso, giving Holliday nine RBIs in the last two games and 10 for the four-game series.
J.J Hardy hit his fourth career grand slam and the rampant Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 12-8 for their fourth consecutive victory.
Nelson Cruz connected for his league-leading 35th home run as the Orioles (79-56) pounded 18 hits and increased their lead over the Yankees to nine games in the American League East.
Baltimore catcher Caleb Joseph had a career-high four hits, while left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (14-4) allowed four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to get the win.
Chris Heisey homered twice while Johnny Cueto limited the Pittsburgh Pirates to two runs in eight innings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.
Cueto (16-8) tied for the league lead in victories. He allowed two runs, nine hits, one walk and struck out six.
Jose Bautista extended his home run streak to five consecutive games as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 4-3.
Designated hitter Derek Jeter, playing his final game in Toronto before he retires at the end of the season, hit a soft line drive to second to end the game and give Casey Janssen his 20th save of the season.
Catcher Anthony Recker hit a tie-breaking three-run homer in the sixth inning and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 in a game between two teams out of playoff contention.