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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – The Athletics began a 13-game road trip,
their longest of the season, with the worst record in the majors at
2-10 and trailing first-place Seattle by six games.
|  | | Mark Mulder no-hit the Angels for five innings and struck out seven in six for his first win. |
Mark Mulder stopped the losing, holding the Anaheim Angels
hitless into the sixth inning in Oakland's 6-3 victory, which
stopped a seven-game skid.
"That's the one great thing about youth," first baseman Jason
Giambi said. "We're still having a good time and we keep pushing
each other, saying, 'Don't panic, everything's OK, we're going to
be fine.' "
The Athletics' largest deficit in the West last year was seven
games, following a loss to Detroit on Aug. 11. It took the A's 49
days to overtake the Mariners, which they finally did with two
games left.
"Being that far out that late in the season last year, you'd
have to be an eternal pessimist to think that they're buried right
now," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I mean, I hope I'm
wrong. I sure hope they're buried, but I know that's not the case.
They're going to be tough all year."
Even if the Athletics collapse entirely, it wouldn't be the
first time the franchise has underachieved trying to defend a
division title. In 1993, they finished 26 games behind and in
seventh place. In 1991 they were fourth, 11 games out. In 1982 they
were fifth, 25 games off the pace.
"There was one point last year where we lost nine games in a
row and still won the division, so we'll be fine," Giambi said.
"The losing streak was just a focal point because it's the
beginning of the year.
"Even I'm a little shocked at how we started out. But the
biggest thing that's going to help us out is the unbalanced
schedule, and playing more games against teams in our own
division."
Frank Menechino had a homer and three RBI to back Mulder (1-1),
who allowed three runs and five hits in six-plus innings. He struck
out seven and walked none.
Jason Isringhausen pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Mulder faced a revamped lineup in which Tim Salmon, Troy Glaus,
Garret Anderson and Glenallen Hill each moved up a notch and Shawn
Wooten was dropped from second to seventh. Wooten broke up the
no-hit bid leading off the sixth with his first major league homer.
Adam Kennedy singled and Salmon ended an 0-for-18 drought with a
two-out single. But Glaus struck out for the eighth time in a span
of 15 at-bats, leaving Oakland ahead 4-1.
Bengie Molina chased Mulder in the seventh with a one-out RBI
double, trimming the margin to 6-2, and Jim Mecir threw a wild
pitch and gave up an RBI single to Hill.
Jarrod Washburn, scheduled to be the Angels' opening-day starter
until he was sidelined by strep throat, came off the disabled list
and allowed six runs – four earned – and 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings.
"I felt pretty strong, so overall, I was pleased – just not
with the outcome," Washburn said. "I made some bad pitches in
critical situations and I definitely wasn't as sharp as I wanted to
be. I left some balls up and made that bad pitch to Menechino."
Eric Chavez, whose .197 average against left-handers last season
was the lowest in the AL, singled his first two times up against
the left-handed Washburn. The second hit came in the fourth inning,
just before Menechino drove a 2-1 pitch into the left-field bullpen
for a 4-0 lead.
Adam Piatt and Terrence Long chased Washburn in the seventh with
two-out singles and Ramon Hernandez greeted Lou Pote with an RBI
double that fell between Salmon and the right-field line.
After Long and Hernandez opened the second inning with singles,
the Athletics scored their first two runs with the help of three
consecutive shallow fly balls that fell safely – including a popup
by Chavez that landed between Anderson, the left fielder, and
shortstop Benji Gil, loading the bases.
Long scored when Menechino's blooper eluded Gold Glove
outfielder Darin Erstad in left-center, and Hernandez came home
when second baseman Kennedy ran under Johnny Damon's popup inside
the right-field line for an error.
Game notes
The Angels were no-hit through five innings for the second
time in three nights. Orlando Palmeiro ended Freddy Garcia's bid
Saturday night against Oakland. ... Piatt grounded into a 1-2-3
double play with the bases loaded in the eighth. The A's have
grounded into an AL-leading 17 double plays, seven with the bases
loaded.
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RECAPS
Boston 4
NY Yankees 1
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 5
Minnesota 3
Oakland 6
Anaheim 3
Seattle 9
Texas 7
Pittsburgh 3
Houston 0
NY Mets 4
Montreal 3
Atlanta 4
Florida 3
Philadelphia 0
Chicago Cubs 0
Arizona 2
St. Louis 1
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