Angels nearly run into disaster in 5-4 win over A’s

OAKLAND â€”  — The Angels have sweat out harrowing late-inning moments in most of their 10 victories this season, but they could have made things a lot easier on themselves Wednesday had they not run into two outs on the bases in the eighth inning.

Erick Aybar opened the inning with a single and was thrown out trying to steal, the seventh time in 17 tries the Angels have been thrown out stealing.

Mike Trout tripled to center field and scored on Albert Pujols’ sacrifice fly to give the Angels a 5-2 lead over the Oakland Athletics. Mark Trumbo walked and Josh Hamilton singled to left field, putting runners on first and second.

BOX SCORE: Angels 5, Athletics 4

Howie Kendrick hit a sharp single to right field that should have driven in Trumbo, but Hamilton was thrown out at third base trying to run on right fielder Josh Reddick, the 2012 Gold Glove winner who has one of the strongest arms in the league.

Umpires ruled that Hamilton was tagged out at third before Trumbo crossed the plate, so Trumbo’s run didn’t count. The Angels gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth but held on for a 5-4 win.

“You want to be aggressive but mindful of where the throw is going,� Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Josh thought he would throw home. He got a little too aggressive with his read and was out at third.�

Calling on all arms

Right-hander Ryan Brasier was called up from triple A, bringing to 19 the number of pitchers the Angels have had on their roster this season.

The injury-plagued Angels have used more pitchers than they used each season from 2004 to 2007. At this rate, they’ll have a good shot at the francise record for pitchers used, 29 in 1996, an abysmal season in which the Angels finished 70-91.

“Is that all we’ve had?� Scioscia said facetiously when asked if it was mind-boggling how many pitchers the Angels have churned through. “We don’t feel sorry for ourselves. This is stuff you have to deal with. The season keeps coming. The games keep coming.�

The Angels can’t seem to keep up, especially in the bullpen, which has combined for a 4.33 earned-run average, allowed 29 of 59 inherited runners to score and blown five of nine save opportunities.

“When you put a guy in, you’re putting him in with confidence he’s going to do the job, but it’s not happening right now,� Scioscia said. “It’s frustrating to not be able to match up the way we need to. But these guys are better pitchers than they’ve shown, and we need to get whoever is down there on the beam.�

Short hops

Trumbo’s sixth-inning home run was his third in three games and team-leading sixth of the season. …Third baseman Alberto Callaspo (right calf tightness) was two for four with a home run in his second game for Class-A Inland Empire and is expected to be activated Thursday. … Chris Iannetta was still sore after catching 19 innings Monday night and did not play Wednesday.

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