LDN - Sports

Angels' Weaver finds form and shuts out Athletics

[June 20, 2016] OAKLAND, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jered Weaver won't soon forget Father's Day 2016.

Weaver pitched the eighth shutout and 14th complete game of his career Sunday, leading the Angels to a 2-0 victory against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum.

"It was nice," Weaver said. "It's been a little while since I've done it. And not only that but to have it happen on Father's Day. Us being in the business we're in, we miss out on a lot of stuff. So to be able to go out on the first pitch on Father's Day and be able to pitch a complete game there and do the interview and be able to look into the camera and say, 'Happy Father's Day,' was pretty cool."

Weaver (6-6) allowed three hits, struck out one, walked one and needed only 95 pitches.

Weaver's last shutout and complete game came on May 8, 2015, in a 2-0 victory against the Houston Astros when he allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none.

"No doubt his fastball command set everything up," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He was getting up on the corners, had nice life to it, changed speeds as well as he usually does. The big thing was getting some pitches in good zones on some deeper counts, which there weren't many of them. He pitched a terrific game."

Catcher Carlos Perez hit his third home run of the season for the Angels, a solo shot in the fifth inning that extended their lead to 2-0.

The Angels won their fourth straight series against the A's, taking two of three games and beating them for the fifth time in six games this season.

Weaver, 33, went 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA in his first four starts this season but 2-6 with a 6.54 ERA in his next nine starts before facing the A's.

"I pretty much did everything I normally do," Weaver said. "Just tried to pitch to contact. I know I'm not a guy anymore that's going to go out there and strike people out, so try to limit pitches. They were able to hit the ball but luckily they were at people."

Entering the game, Weaver had allowed 18 home runs, tied for second most in the major leagues. He served up two homers in each of his previous three starts and at least one in eight straight outings.

Weaver kept the A's in the ball park and baffled them with a mid-80s fastball and a curve in the high 60s.

"Today was frustrating," A's catcher Stephen Vogt said. "Up and down the lineup, including myself, we didn't make him work. He was very good. A guy like him, every pitch looks hittable, but that's not the case. We expanded and kept getting ourselves out."

A's left-hander Eric Surkamp (0-5) remained winless in eight starts this season, but he had his best outing of the year. Surkamp allowed two runs and six hits over a career-high tying six innings. He struck out five, another season high, and walked two.

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"I feel a lot better after this one," Surkamp said. "There are still plenty of things I need to work on to get better and be able to succeed up here. I have to pitch stupid. Get out of my head and just throw the ball. Get out of my own way."

The Angels took a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning off Surkamp. Yunel Escobar grounded a leadoff single to left, moved to second on Kole Calhoun's walk then tagged and advanced to third when Mike Trout flied out to right field.

Escobar scored on Albert Pujols' ground ball to shortstop Marcus Semien. Semien got the force at second, but Pujols barely beat Jed Lowrie's throw to first.

Perez increased the Angels' lead to 2-0 with a leadoff home run in the fifth inning. He crushed Surkamp's 1-0 fastball into the left-field stands.

A's designated hitter Billy Butler led off the fifth with a drive to the right-center gap, but Trout threw him out at second. Weaver didn't give up another hit or allow another base runner until Butler led off the eighth with a single. But he retired the next three A's in order.

"Pretty amazing," Perez said of Weaver's gem. "He was aggressive today, the command of his pitches was good. He was fun to catch."

NOTES: Athletics RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder surgery) has been shut down for the second time this season during his comeback attempt after experiencing pain in his throwing shoulder Saturday during a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville. He will be examined again by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Last year, Alvarez had season-ending shoulder surgery on July 28. ... A's LF Khris Davis was out of the starting lineup with a sore calf. He left Saturday's game after seven innings because of cramping in a calf. ... A's RHP Andrew Triggs, who made his first career major league start Saturday against the Angels, was optioned to Nashville. ... A's RHP Liam Hendriks (right triceps strain) was activated from the disabled list and pitched two perfect innings in relief. ... RHP Tim Lincecum, who pitched six innings in his Angels debut on Saturday, responded well to his first major league start in nearly a year. "Tim feels good," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's still pumped up. He said he still has adrenaline. He came out of it fine." ... Angels C Geovany Soto (right knee surgery) won't be ready to start a rehab assignment Monday, but Scioscia said he is hopeful he will be playing rehab games by the end of the week.

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