Angels take advantage of mistakes to complete sweep of A's

ANAHEIM, Calif. — A large Christmas tree sits outside Angel Stadium, a part of the team’s annual “Christmas in June” celebration.

Even though the promotions don’t begin until this weekend, the Oakland A’s brought the gifts early.

The Angels took advantage of a handful of gaffes to beat the last-place A’s, 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping the three-game series.

The Angels (33-46) have been out of contention all season, but they are still six games ahead of the A’s (29-54), who are in the midst of a multi-year slumber while they wait for their Las Vegas home to open to in 2028.

The Angels were trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning, when the A’s handed over the game. Starter Joey Estes gave up a leadoff single to Luis Rengifo, but then he struck out the next two. He walked Willie Calhoun.

Reliever Austin Adams entered and walked Luis Guillorme to load the bases. He then hit Mickey Moniak with a pitch, after getting ahead of him 0-and-2, to force in the tying run.

Zach Neto followed with a three-run double. Matt Thaiss doubled home Neto, extending the lead to 5-1.

Before all of that, the A’s let the Angels off the hook with some sloppy baserunning.

With two outs and runners at first and second, Max Schuemann hit a ball into the gap in left center. Armando Alvarez scored from second and then Kyle McCann followed him home.

McCann, however, missed the plate as he ran by. Alvarez grabbed McCann’s arm, slowing him down, and then McCann retreated to touch the plate.

Umpire John Bacon immediately pointed to Alvarez and signaled that McCann was out, because Alvarez had assisted him. The A’s challenged that McCann touched home the first time, but the call was upheld.

Angels right-hander Roansy Contreras gave up only that run in three innings. Contreras, a former starter, got the first few innings of a bullpen game.

Right-hander Hans Crouse followed with two innings. Left-hander Matt Moore and right-hander Hunter Strickland worked an inning apiece. Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga handled the final two, allowing a run in the ninth.

By sweeping their third series of the season, the Angels have won 12 of their last 20 games.