WEST SACRAMENTO — The Angels had scored first in their past 11 games – one away from a franchise record – heading into Thursday night’s game against the Athletics. They did not tie that mark. In fact, they didn’t score at all against former JSerra High standout Gage Jump.
The first six batters the A’s sent to the plate reached base, with five of them coming around to score. Recently recalled Ryan Johnson needed 35 pitches to get through the first inning against a tough A’s lineup, and ended that inning with his team trailing 5-0, a score that remained that way the rest of the night.
Jump, the Athletics’ No. 3 prospect, was making just his fifth major-league start. Staked to an early lead, he held the Angels to one hit and three walks over his seven shutout innings. He struck out seven while throwing a career-high 107 pitches (72 strikes).
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said before the game that the team liked how Johnson had been throwing the ball for Double-A Rocket City, and after that bumpy first inning, he showed more of the form that led to his promotion.
Johnson made it through five innings, giving up the five runs (all earned) on eight hits and one walk with two strikeouts. After the first, he allowed just one hit and one walk. Johnson threw a career-high 89 pitches (57 strikes).
The 23-year-old right-hander was also showcasing a bump in velocity, gaining at least a tick across all four of his pitches, while his splitter was coming in 3.2 miles per hour harder than when he was in the Angels’ bullpen earlier this season.
His final four innings, plus his added velocity, give him something to build upon for his next outing.
After Christian Moore lost track of a Nick Kurtz fly ball to left field in the first, the A’s were threatening with runners on second and third just two batters into the game. Shea Langeliers followed that miscue with a three-run homer, and Tyler Soderstrom followed with a solo homer.
Moore added another miscue on a fly ball toward the foul line that he just overran. It was deemed an error. Suzuki said before the game that the plan is to move Moore, who has always been an infielder, around.
Oswald Peraza notched the Angels’ first hit with two outs in the fourth inning, putting runners on second and third. Moore struck out on three pitches to end the Angels’ first and only threat against Jump.
With Jump out of the game, Denzer Guzman was able to work a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth, and pinch-hitter Wade Meckler singled with one out, but fly outs from Zach Neto and Nick Madrigal ended the Angels’ best scoring threat since the fourth.
Vaughn Grissom and Moore added singles in the ninth, but A’s reliever Hogan Harris ended up striking out the side to preserve the shutout.
Without Mike Trout, the Angels’ offense didn’t have any punch. Four of their seven baserunners reached via walks.
More to come on this story.
