Pratt's Instant Replay: Angels 8, A's 3

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OAKLAND -- Well, they can't win them all. After the A's feasted on a steady diet of games with the struggling Indians and Red Sox, the more formidable Angels came to town and snapped Oakland's nine-game winning streak. The A's 8-3 loss came at a bad time. The Rangers, Rays, and Orioles all won their games on Monday. Starting Pitching ReportTommy Milone will want to forget Labor Day 2012. He labored through the shortest outing of his career on Monday, giving up 10 hits and five runs in three innings of work.Milone is typically tough at home but he stumbled out of the gate. He allowed two singles to start the first inning, but got Albert Pujols to ground into a double play and got Mark Trumbo to fly out to center. In the second inning the young left-handed pitcher allowed four consecutive singles with one out, which put the Angels ahead 2-0. Two more runs scored in the third inning. Torii Hunter drove a low pitch into the left field bleachers to make it 3-0. Pujols followed with a double but was caught in between second and third when Howie Kendrick grounded into a fielder's choice. Kendrick ended up on second as the A's had Pujols in a rundown. Eric Aybar promptly drove Kendrick home for the fourth run of the game.In the fourth inning Vernon Wells led off by crushing a hanging curveball that landed deep in the left field bleachers. Well's 10th homer of the season gave the Angels a 5-0 lead and chased Milone from the game.At the PlateThe A's got on the board in the fourth inning. Jonny Gomes hit a double into left-center and Josh Reddick drove him home with a single. Josh Donaldson led off the fifth inning with a homer to deep centerfield. Mike Trout tracked the ball all the way and leaped and hung onto the wall in hopes he'd catch it. Donaldson now has six home runs this season. He is batting .342 (24 for 71) with seven doubles, five home runs, and 15 RBI since being recalled on August 14.After Donaldson's homer the A's loaded the bases with two outs. Reddick stepped to the plate with an opportunity to give the A's the lead but he popped out to second base ending the inning. Reddick got another chance with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning, but he fouled out.People will be quick to point to Reddick's struggles with runners in scoring position this season. He drove home Gomes earlier in the game though, and hit a grand slam against Boston on Friday.Chris Carter crushed a 1-0 pitch thrown by LaTroy Hawkins in the eighth inning. The ball hit the green stairwell beyond the wall in left-center field. Carter now has 14 home runs this season in 51 games.Bullpen ReportPat Neshek provided some much needed relief after Milone's struggles. The deceptive righty gave up a double to the first batter he faced but retired the next five. Pedro Figueroa entered the game with two outs in the fifth inning and quickly got the third out.Figueroa remained in the game to start the sixth inning and unraveled. He gave up a two-run homer to Chris Ianetta which gave the Angels a 7-2 lead. Figueroa ended up allowing three runs -- two earned -- in two-thirds of an inning of work. Figueroa struggled with his command, he threw 15 pitches and only five of them were strikes.Tyson Ross was recalled before the game and was put to use right away. In 13 starts for the A's this season he is 2-9 with a 6.45 ERA. Pitching out of the bullpen might be the key to finding a spot for him in Oakland. Ross threw two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief. He gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out three batters. He threw 51 pitches -- 33 strikes.Evan Scribner worked a scoreless ninth inning.On the BasesReddick attempted to run from second to third base on a ground ball hit to the shortstop by Yoenis Cespedes. He appeared to beat the tag but third base umpire Alfonso Marquez called him out. A's manager Bob Melvin got into an animated discussion after the play to no avail.
Mike Trout did what he does best in the sixth inning. He reached on a single, stole second, advanced to third when the Derek Norris' throw got away from Adam Rosales, and scored on a sac fly that gave the Angels an 8-2 lead. Trout has 43 steals and 108 runs this season -- both lead the Major Leagues.In the FieldCarter and Donaldson collided on top of the pitching mound on a sky-high pop up. Carter, who stands 6'4", caught the ball as the much smaller Donaldson bounced off him and fell to the ground. Both players appeared to be alright and they gave each other a glove tap as they ran back to the dugout.AttendanceThe A's announced an attendance of 20,180.Dot RaceGreen wins the dot race.Up NextThe A's turn to Jarrod Parker (9-7, 3.72 ERA) on Tuesday. Parker will be making his 24th start of the season and is 4-4 with a 5.40 ERA over his last 10 starts.Zack Greinke (3-2, 4.58 ERA) takes the mound for the Halos. He is 3-2 with a 4.82 ERA since being traded to the Angels on July 27.