Field Level Media
Jul 30, 2021
Frankie Montas threw seven shutout innings to help the Oakland Athletics to a 4-0 win against the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Montas (9-8) allowed three hits, struck out 10 and walked three. He matched a career high for wins while throwing a season-high 109 pitches.
Ramon Laureano delivered a two-run double in the three-run first inning for the Athletics, who have won six in a row against the Angels, keeping them six back of the second AL wild-card spot.
Dylan Bundy (1-8) made his first start for Los Angeles since being demoted to the bullpen a month ago.
After a rocky start, Bundy recovered to throw 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and two hits. He struck out two, walked four and hit a batter.
The A's loaded the bases with no outs in the first after Mark Canha was hit by a pitch for the 17th time this season and the next two batters walked.
After the A's scored a run on a groundout, Laureano doubled into the left-field corner to drive in two more for a 3-0 lead.
The Angels put two runners on base in the third inning, but Starling Marte ran down Phil Gosselin's line drive to center to end the threat.
Marte was playing his first game for the A's after the two-time NL Gold Glove winner was acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Marte batted second and went 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored.
The Angels put two more runners on base in the fourth, but Montas struck out Adam Eaton to end the inning.
Shohei Ohtani walked and stole second in the fifth, but third baseman Matt Chapman made a diving play on Gosselin's ground ball to end that threat.
The A's mostly avoided Ohtani, the MLB home run leader with 37. He struck out his first time up and walked his next three.
Jose Quintana relieved Bundy and struck out the first five batters he faced, but his throwing error on a pick-off attempt with runners on the corners in the seventh allowed the A's to extend their lead to 4-0.
--Field Level Media