Athletics' Zack Gelof, Nick Kurtz look to create more runs vs. Angels

The Los Angeles Angels and Athletics will get together for a four-game series when the American League West rivals begin the set on Thursday night at West Sacramento, Calif.

The Athletics took three of four games from the Angels in Anaheim from May 18-21, scoring 23 runs in the three victories.

A's star Nick Kurtz had a season-best five RBIs -- matched on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates -- in one of the victories and the Athletics posted two 10-inning wins against the Angels during the set.

The Los Angeles victory came in dramatic fashion as Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn took a no-hitter into the ninth inning on May 18. Adam Frazier singled to break up the no-hit bid and Zach Neto followed with a two-run walk-off homer to give the Angels a stunning 2-1 victory.

The Athletics just lost the final two contests of a three-game set against Pittsburgh. In the finale, the Pirates mauled the A's 12-4 on Wednesday.

"We lost the series," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "We have the Angels coming in, a divisional opponent.

"We played the Angels pretty well down in (Anaheim), I think the games were really close and I expect the same type of games going into this weekend."

Zack Gelof homered in the bottom of the ninth to extend his career-best hitting streak to 21 games. It rates as the top active streak in the majors.

Gelof is batting .366 (30-for-82) during the streak. He also has five homers in the past nine games.

Kotsay said it isn't easy to keep a streak going in a player's last at-bat of a game.

"Anytime you have a hitting streak on the line, you obviously know that this is an at-bat that you're either going to end it or continue it," Kotsay said. "Pretty impressive at-bat to not only get a hit, but to hit a home run. He's competing and that's what we want from these guys."

The Angels have dropped three of their past four games after losing 8-1 to the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

Neto homered for the second straight game and has back-to-back two-hit outings after going 2-for-23 with 13 strikeouts over a five-game span. He also had a triple on Tuesday.

"It was good to see him walk and lay off some tough pitches," Los Angeles manager Kurt Suzuki said. "The home run to center field, especially on an off-speed pitch, I thought that was a great sign. He's just got to keep going and keep getting better."

Mike Trout was 1-for-3 on Wednesday to increase his hitting streak to eight games. He has three homers during the stretch.

Trout leads the squad with 17 homers. Neto has 15.

Left-hander Gage Jump (2-1, 3.09 ERA) will make his fifth career start for the Athletics and first versus the Angels on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Jump took a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies in Las Vegas last Friday. He gave up three runs and five hits over five innings.

Jump won his previous two starts and allowed one run and six hits over 13 1/3 innings during the span.

The Angels haven't announced a starter and could dip into Triple-A Salt Lake and summon one to West Sacramento.

Los Angeles also hasn't tabbed a Friday starter but ace right-hander Jose Soriano (8-4, 2.79) could get the call.

Soriano received a no-decision against the Athletics on May 21 when he gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of the Angels' 3-2 loss in 10 innings. He is 1-3 with a 7.82 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) against the A's.

Soriano pitched five shutout innings of three-hit ball in an 8-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays last Saturday.

--Field Level Media