Pujols, Angels hand A's second straight setback

Albert Pujols' sacrifice fly in the fifth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and helped lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-2 win over the Oakland A's Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Angels left-hander Dillon Peters (4-3) went five innings to get the win, getting help from four relievers who combined to shut out the A's over the final four innings. Hansel Robles pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.

David Fletcher had three hits to lead the Angels offense.

Oakland has now lost two in a row, something that hasn't happened since they lost consecutive games to the Yankees on Aug. 31-Sept. 1. They haven't lost three in a row since July 24-26.

Their lead in the American League wild-card race was reduced to just a half-game over Tampa Bay and one game over Cleveland.

Khris Davis' two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning off Peters gave Oakland a 2-0 lead, but the Angels rallied for three runs in the fifth off A's starter Homer Bailey (13-9).

Bailey shut out the Angels for the first four innings, but in the fifth, Taylor Ward led off with a single and went to second on a single by Matt Thaiss. One out later, Fletcher singled home Ward, and Brian Goodwin tied the game at 2-2 with a double that scored Thaiss.

Pujols put the Angels on top at 3-2 with a sacrifice fly that drove in Fletcher from third. It was Pujols' 93rd RBI of the season, second on the team only to Mike Trout (104).

Peters was replaced to start the sixth inning, having given up two runs and five hits in five innings, striking out three and walking one.

Noe Ramirez (1 2/3 innings), Adalberto Mejia (one-third inning), and Ty Buttery (one inning) got the Angels to the ninth inning before handing the ball over to Robles.

--Field Level Media