Griffin Canning gave up three runs in five-plus efficient innings, the Angels’ bullpen threw four scoreless innings and Los Angeles held on for a 5–3 victory over the Oakland A’s on Tuesday in Anaheim, Calif.
Brandon Drury was one of four Angels with two hits apiece, the key hit being a two-run triple in the first inning. After a slow start to the season, Drury is 5–for–8 with two homers and six RBIs in his last two games.
Canning (1–0), a right-hander who missed all of 2022 with a back injury, earned his first victory since June 9, 2021. It also was the first win by an Angels starting pitcher other than Shohei Ohtani since April 2, when Tyler Anderson beat the Athletics.
Aaron Loup, Matt Moore, and Carlos Estevez finished off the Tuesday win, with Estevez recording the final five outs for his fourth save.
The A’s grabbed an early lead against Canning, getting an RBI triple from Jace Peterson in the top off the first inning. The Angels responded by scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning against A’s starter Mason Miller (0–1).
With one out, Mike Trout went the other way on a 101 mph fastball, hitting a ground-rule double to right field.
Anthony Rendon followed with a walk before Drury tripled home both baserunners. On the play, A’s center fielder Esteury Diaz charged Drury’s sinking line drive and made a diving attempt, but the ball skipped past him and went to the wall.
Luis Rengifo singled home Drury, stole second, and scored on a single by Gio Urshela to put the Angels up 4–1.
Canning kept the A’s from scoring again until the fifth when Shea Langeliers led off with a home run to cut the deficit to 4–2.
When Canning gave up a leadoff double to Brent Rooker in the sixth, the righty was through for the night. Loup entered the game and got the first two outs of the inning before Jordan Diaz drove in Rooker with a pinch-hit double to make it 4–3.
Taylor Ward’s two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the sixth gave the Angels an insurance run.
