ANAHEIM, Calif.—Ryan Noda had a two-run double in the 10th inning, Brent Rooker and Jesús Aguilar became the first Athletics teammates to hit back-to-back homers twice in one game and Oakland rallied for an 11–10 victory over the Los Angeles Angels after blowing an early six-run lead Monday night.
“That was pretty much right there at the top (of crazy games). A good friend of mine said, ‘You know, you may as well make them memorable.’ And I think tonight was pretty memorable,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said.
The Angels got within a run on Brandon Drury’s two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th and had runners on first and second with two outs, but Mike Trout hit a grounder to third that ended the game.
Trout could have come up with the bases loaded, but Luis Rengifo made a major baserunning mistake when he tried to extend a single into a double. Oakland left fielder Conner Capel threw to second baseman Tony Kemp, who had plenty of time to apply the tag for the first out of the inning.
Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo (2) is tagged out at second by Oakland Athletics left fielder Tony Kemp (5) during the tenth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., on April 24, 2023. Ashley Landis/AP Photo
Adam Oller (1–0) got the win and Jeurys Familia earned his second save.
With one out and runners at the corners, Noda lined a double down the left-field line off Jaime Barría (1–1) to make it 10–8. Noda, who came off the bench in the ninth and scored the tying run when Rooker walked with the bases loaded, then scored on Kemp’s single.
It was the seventh blown save by the Angels, which leads the majors.
“I think we’ve had a lead in every game except one or two (this season). So yeah, it’s disappointing,” manager Phil Nevin said.
Aguilar had three hits and Rooker drove in three runs for the A’s, who had lost nine of 10. Kevin Smith also went deep as Oakland launched five home runs in the first three innings.
“It would have been pretty easy with the way things started for us when they went up 8–7 to roll over, call it a day, come back and try again tomorrow. But we didn’t do that and we haven’t done that all year,” Rooker said.
Drury had two homers among his three hits and drove in four for the Angels. Chad Wallach also homered and drove in two.
Drury, who entered batting .179, homered in the second inning to get the Halos on the board. He also had an RBI single in the seventh to give the Angels an 8–7 advantage.
Web Gem
With the score tied at 8 in the ninth, Oakland catcher Shea Langeliers hit a long fly down the left-field line with two outs that looked to be a grand slam. But Taylor Ward reached over the short wall and caught it to get the Angels out of the inning.Back to Back, Squared
It was Rooker’s second multi-homer game this season and the ninth of Aguilar’s 10-year career.Rooker hit a solo shot to the left off Angels starter José Suarez on the fifth pitch of the game. Aguilar followed four pitches later with a drive that just cleared the wall in left-center.
After Aledmys Diaz walked and Carlos Perez doubled to start the second, Smith drove an 0–2 sweeper into the left-field stands to make it 5–0.
Rooker and Aguilar then made it 7–1 in the third with successive solo shots. Trout nearly made a play on Aguilar’s drive at the center-field wall, but mistimed his jump.
Rooker, in his first season with Oakland, leads the team with six homers while Aguilar is tied for second with four.
