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 Moss filled in that blank in the first inning, crushing a 96 mph
fastball from Angels right-hander Garrett Richards into the
right-field seats for his first career grand slam, giving the A's a
4-0 lead and sparking them to a 9-5 victory.
A's third baseman Josh Donaldson homered twice, but it was Moss who
jump-started the offense, which left 14 runners on base Thursday in
a 5-4 loss to Detroit.
Center fielder Coco Crisp and designated hitter John Jaso opened the
inning with back-to-back singles and Donaldson walked, loading the
bases for Moss.
Richards fell behind 2-0 in the count. When he threw a fastball down
the middle of the plate, Moss quickly cleared the bases, joining
Dave Kingman, Mark McGwire and Matt Stairs as the only Oakland
cleanup hitters to hit a grand slam in the first inning.
"I've never even come close to hitting one," Moss said. "I think I
came close-ish last year. We had bases loaded against the Twins and
I flew out against the wall. It's definitely something I had thought
about. I hit fastballs really well and right there he's going to
throw you one. It was on my mind. Definitely not trying to do it,
but I thought it would be really cool to do it."
Moss thought right.
"Four-run homers, you can't really do anything better as a hitter in
a particular at-bat," said Moss, who now has nine home runs and 25
RBIs in May, career highs for any month. "It felt good, for sure."
The A's won the opener of a three-game series and increased their
lead in the American League West to 2 1/2 games over the Angels.
Moss had to leave the game in the bottom of the third with tightness
in his right calf -- A's manager Bob Melvin said he's day-to-day and
doubtful for Saturday's game -- but Donaldson provided more than
enough offense after his grand slam.
Donaldson hit a solo shot in the second to right and a two-run blast
to center in the fifth, both off left-handed reliever Wade LeBlanc,
giving him a team-high 15 homers for the season. He went 3-for-4,
drove in four runs and scored three times.
Donaldson had his second career multi-homer game Friday -- he
homered twice against Houston on April 24 -- and has homered five
times in his past six games.
"Today I felt pretty good," Donaldson said. "You're preparing all
day for Garrett Richards. He's throwing 96 to 98 and it has life to
it. We were able to get to him pretty early. Then you have kind of
the exact opposite guy come in, a lefty who's going to be crafty,
who does a good job, but he just left a couple mistakes over the
plate today and I was able to take advantage of it."
Second baseman Howie Kendrick hit a two-run homer and center fielder
Mike Trout a solo shot for the Angels off A's left-hander Drew
Pomeranz in the fourth inning. Designated hitter C.J. Cron had a
two-run double in the sixth.
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Richards (4-2) lasted just two-thirds of an inning, allowing five
runs and five hits, walking three and striking out two. He matched
the shortest start of his career, but the other time he left a start
that quickly was because of a groin injury. He hadn't pitched fewer
than five innings in any of his first 10 starts this season.
"It's embarrassing," Richards said. "I didn't show up for us
tonight. I couldn't find a feel for my two-seamer. It kept sinking
out of the zone. I tried to make adjustments and I just couldn't do
it."
Pomeranz (5-2) had his worst start of the season but got the win.
Pomeranz, who allowed a combined two runs in his first four starts,
gave up five runs on four hits, including two home runs, through 5
1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked three.
The A's sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring
five runs and knocking Richards out of the game.
"He couldn't get the ball into any good zones at all," Angels
manager Mike Scioscia said of Richards. "That inning just
steamrolled. It just wasn't there for him. I was all out of whack.
Even after the grand slam, it went the other way. There comes a time
when you don't want to put a pitcher at risk."
NOTES: Angels OF Josh Hamilton resumed his rehab assignment Friday
night with Triple-A Salt Lake at Tacoma, and he could be activated
from the disabled list as soon as Tuesday when the Angels open a
three-game series at Houston, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Hamilton has missed 46 games since tearing the ulnar collateral
ligament in his left thumb while diving into first base on April 9
against Seattle. Hamilton will travel with the Bees to Albuquerque
and play rehab games Saturday and Sunday. ... Oakland 2B Eric Sogard
is typically in the starting lineup when the A's face a right-handed
starting pitcher, but he was out of the lineup Friday night against
Angels RHP Garrett Richards. Sogard is batting .188 overall and .158
in May. A's manager Bob Melvin said he hoped a day off would help
Sogard get out of his slump. Alberto Callaspo started at second
base.
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