Straight A's

8/25 - Angel Stadium
Archer (3-1) vs Lopez (2-1)
A's 6, Angels 2

Marcelino Lopez blew a 2-0 lead by allowing Yeonis Cespedes' 2 out 2 run single in the top of the 5th.  Deuces would run wild as Oakland would again post a 2 spot in both the 7th and 8th innings to triple up the hometown Halos.  Cespedes, batting in the 3 hole for the first time this season, went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI's.  Scott Spiezio had a 2 RBI day as well with a big double in the 8th to give Jim Archer some much needed breathing room.  Halo lead off man, Carney Lansford, had half of his team's hits going 3 for 4.  Lopez was on the hook for the first 4 runs and reliever Ken Tatum was tagged for the final 2.

8/26 - Angel Stadium
Zito (1-0) vs Jer.Weaver (0-1)
A's 8, Angels 0

The A's couldn't have asked for more from Barry Zito, who made his season debut and gave up just 1 hit in 7 innings without yielding a run.  The youngster threw 103 pitches and rather than risk injury he was removed from the game.  Relievers Steve Ontiveros and Ryan Cook were just as good shutting down the Angels the rest of the way.  Offensively it was the Mitchell Page show.  Oakland's left fielder was 4 for 5 with 4 runs scored and an RBI courtesy of his solo homer in the top of the 1st.  Halo starter Jerred Weaver was pulled after 5 having given up 3 runs.  He did fan 6 and only walk 1, but his manager was convinced it was just not his day.  Paul Hartzell (3.1 IP / 5 R) was dreadful in relief.

8/27 - Oakland Coliseum
R.Clark vs Hamilton
A's 5, Angels 3
The series shifted north on the PCH and the A's continued to trot out another lefty starter.  For the second day in a row an Oakland lefty made his mound debut.  Dave Hamilton was tossing a shutout until he ran out of gas with 2 outs in the 7th and gave up 2 run.  That would make the score 5-2 Oakland.  The A's touched Ricky Clark up for 4 big runs in the bottom of the 4th to build a nice lead, all with 2 out.  Catcher Tim Thompson doubled home Dave Revering and Ed Charles to make it 3-1 Oakland.  Dick Green's single made it 4-1 and Walt Weiss' (no relation to the manager) RBI single tallied the 4th run of the frame.  After Hamilton left the Halo's failed to score in the 8th, but mounted a gallant stand in the 9th.  With closer Huston Street on board for the A's the Halos were down to their last 3 outs.  Pinch hitter Wally "Absorbine" Joyner drove a double off of Street to lead off the inning.  Pinch hitter Bob "Buck" Rodgers skied to right.  Devon White delivered his 2nd two bagger of the day to bring Joyner home and make it a 2 run game.  Street got his act together and fanned Kennedy and got Lansford to fly out weakly to Page in left to end the game.  With the 3 game series sweep Oakland moved past the .500 mark for the first time since the second week of the season.  The Angels still sport a division leading 11-6 record.