» ANGELS TAKE DOWN THE ATHLETICS
OAKLAND — Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, Albert Pujols and Ben Revere added solo shots and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3 on Tuesday night.
Yonder Alonso homered twice for Oakland, raising his career-best total to 11 with his second career two-homer game — four days after his first.
Pujols homered in the first only to see Alonso answer with a two-run drive in the bottom half. Then the Angels hit two more in the second as the first seven runs all scores on long balls.
Escobar added an RBI groundout in the fourth and Cliff Pennington singled in a run to back Alex Meyer (1-1), who earned his first career road victory.
The A’s didn’t have that late-game magic on this night as Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant watched from behind home plate. Oakland had won its previous three games with walkoffs.
Jharel Cotton (3-4) struck out the first two batters of the game before surrendering Pujols’ fifth homer on a drive to left-center.
Cotton, who fell to 0-4 in night games while going 3-0 during the day, allowed eight hits, a season-high seven runs and struck out seven with one walk over five innings.
Alonso homered for a second time leading off the sixth.
Mike Scioscia’s club managed more than enough runs after the Angels were held to just two in Monday’s 3-2 defeat for the fifth time in nine games.
Meyer struck out seven but walked five over 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and four hits. Bud Norris, the Angels’ fourth reliever, earned his sixth save after Oakland threatened in the ninth.
The Angels are 6-0 this year playing on Tuesday.
Trainer’s room — Angels: OF Mike Trout sat out a fourth straight game for the first time as a regular major leaguer and missed his fifth game in six with a tight left hamstring. He planned to hit in the cage Tuesday and said he would test the leg running Wednesday . ... Angels SS Andrelton Simmons returned to the lineup a day after being hit by a pitch in the first inning later leaving with a bruised left hand and right thumb. His left thumb was still bruised but Simmons said he was able to swing without pain and it shouldn’t affect him throwing. “It feels good enough to hit, it feels good enough to play,” he said.
Athletics: C Josh Phegley (concussion), who played at extended spring training Monday, is tentatively slated to come off the DL when eligible Friday at Texas . ... OF Mark Canha was recalled from Triple-A Nashville and OF Jaff Decker was designated for assignment.