ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Oakland manager Bob Melvin loves it when Ramón Laureano and Chad Pinder produce at the plate, but he is even happier when they come through with key defensive plays.
They both did that on Friday night as the Athletics rallied for an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Laureano had the third four-hit game of his career and made a leaping catch above the center-field wall while Pinder delivered the go-ahead homer and made a great grab of his own.
“We pride ourselves on our defense. We’re really good,” Melvin said. “You can be solid and make the routine plays but we also have the ability to make the great plays.”
The A’s led 6-4 in the seventh when the acrobatic Laureano reached over the fence to turn Anthony Rendon’s bid for a tying homer into the the final out of the inning.
“It seems like he makes a great play here (at Angel Stadium) once a year, but it doesn’t make it less exciting,” Pinder said. “Him bringing that ball back helped put a plug in the momentum.”
Laureano hit a solo shot in the ninth for insurance. It was also his major league-leading eighth homer in May.
Pinder, who added three hits, drove a fastball from Mike Mayers (1-3) into right-center to put Oakland back in front at 6-4.
The second baseman, who homered for the second time this season, also came through with his glove. He had a diving catch on a shallow flyball to right-center by José Iglesias to end the fifth.
“I was just thinking to just go and make a play,” Pinder said.
Mark Canha and Jed Lowrie also went deep for the Athletics. Yusmeiro Petit (6-0), the second of four Oakland pitchers, allowed two runs in one inning but got the win.
Jared Walsh and Iglesias homered and Juan Lagares had a two-run triple for the…
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