While the spotlight entering the game was on Dallas Braden, coming off his perfect game last Sunday, it seems somebody forgot to tell the A's hitters that their goal was not to match his previous effort with a similar string of zeros.
After five innings of matching scoreless innings with Angels' hurler Joe Saunders, Braden proved mortal, giving up an RBI single to Kendry Morales, followed by a solid line drive shot to right field by Hideki Matsui. The three hits and four runs given up in that bottom of the sixth proved to be all the offense needed by the Angels to take down the A's, who proved hapless at the plate, allowing Saunders to coast easily to a complete game shutout.
When your offensive highlights include the first double of the season from a backup catcher who got stranded, and the biggest thrills include watching Adam Rosales sprint to first on a pair of walks, you know your team didn't execute.
Dallas Braden pitched admirably in defeat, going the full eight innings, giving up one walk to go with five strikeouts and seven hits with the four runs, but he ends up with the loss, running his record to 4-3. The A's fall back to .500 with an 18-18 record.
