Oakland, CA (Sports Network) – Conor Jackson put an exclamation point on an eight-run first inning by hitting his first career grand slam, powering the Oakland Athletics to a 9-1 pounding of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the finale of a four game series.
Hideki Matsui collected three RBI while Jemile Weeks added an RBI single for the A’s, who took three of four from their AL West rivals. Gio Gonzalez (9-6) worked seven scoreless innings, giving up only four hits while fanning eight and walking two.
Joel Pineiro (5-4) recorded just one out in his start, giving up eight runs — seven earned — on four hits, while walking four. Bobby Wilson knocked in the lone LA run with a ninth-inning single, while Alberto Callaspo had three hits for the Angels, who fell to 9-5 in July.