Athletics 9, Angels 8

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yoenis Cespedes hit the go-ahead two-run single and Chris Carter added a two-run homer in the sixth inning for the Oakland Athletics, who edged the Los Angeles Angels 9-8 on Wednesday afternoon.

The Angels tied a season high with five home runs. Kendrys Morales hit a pair of homers and drove in three runs. Chris Iannetta, Torii Hunter and Mark Trumbo also went deep but the Halos have lost six of their last eight games.

In the top of the ninth, closer Ryan Cook made it interesting. He gave up a leadoff single to Albert Pujols. With one out, Morales singled to right. After a groundout by Alberto Callaspo put both runners in scoring position, Howie Kendrick hit a two run single and the Angels trailed by one run. Kendrick stole second but Erick Aybar grounded to short as the Athletics outlasted the Angels to win the rubber game.

In the bottom of the sixth, veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins failed to hold the lead and coughed up five runs. After a leadoff walk to Cliff Pennington, Coco Crisp hit a one-out double to right. Josh Reddick walked with two outs. After a successful double steal, Cespedes delivered with a two out single to right scoring Crisp and Reddick. Carter hit his 10th home run, a two-run moonshot to left center.

Morales got the home run derby started in the second when he connected on a Straily fastball and sent a rope to the seats in right field.

In the bottom of the second, Greinke had trouble locating his pitches. After a leadoff walk to Chris Carter, his former battery mate George Kottaras hit a high fly ball to center field over the leap of Mike Trout.

Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick each had RBI singles. Carter not only started the inning, he ended it as the 10th man to bat in the frame. He grounded out to third but, by then, Oakland had scored four times. The Athletics might have accounted for more runs but Cliff Pennington was picked off second base for the second out of the inning.

The Angels mounted a threat in the third when Chris Iannetta crushed a home run to the bleachers in left center. Trout and Hunter followed with singles putting runners at the corners. But Straily was able to get the middle of the Angels order to fly out, averting any damage.

Greinke got a second wind following that four run frame, and he retired eight of the next 11 batters faced. He got no decision, and pitched five innings, giving up six hits and four runs. He walked five and struck out three.

NOTES: Home plate umpire Bill Miller left the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. He was hit by a Greinke fastball in the bottom of the first during Coco Crisp's at-bat. The ruling on the play was a passed ball as the pitch completely eluded catcher Iannetta and hit Miller on the bottom of his face mask. Miller lost track of the count twice and erroneously called out Brandon Inge in the fifth inning and Ciff Pennington in the sixth inning on strike two. Three umpires officiated the rest of the game. Dan Iassonga moved from second base to home plate, CB Bucknor moved to second base. ... Albert Pujols ended an 0-for-13 slump at the plate. He went 1-for-12 in this series with four strikeouts. ... The two teams combined to hit seven home runs, five by the Angels. ... Grant Balfour gave up his first run in 14 games, ending a scoreless streak at 13 1/3 innings. ... Seven A's players have at least 10 home runs: Carter (10), Cespedes (14), Jonny Gomes (12), Brandon Inge (11 with the A's, 12 total), Brandon Moss (11), Reddick (25), and Seth Smith (11).