Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Erick Aybar drove in two runs, including one when he was hit by a Justin James pitch during a three-run seventh inning, as the Angels held off the Oakland Athletics, 6-5, in the opener of a three-game series.
Maicer Izturis had two hits, an RBI and scored once for Los Angeles, which snapped a four-game skid.
Ervin Santana allowed 10 hits and four runs over six innings in the start for the Angels, while Michael Kohn (2-0) picked up the victory after escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh.
Jeremy Hermida homered for the A's, who left 16 men on base and lost their fourth in a row. Brett Anderson surrendered seven hits and four runs over 6 1/3 frames in the start. Brad Ziegler (3-6) suffered the loss.
Pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui lined a single to center to drive in Bobby Abreu in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game 4-4. Izturis walked to load the bases and then Aybar was brushed by a pitch on his jersey. Pinch-hitter Hank Conger walked to score Mark Trumbo before Ross Wolf finally pitched out of the inning by retiring Peter Bourjos on a fly ball to center.
Kurt Suzuki tripled in Jack Cust in the eighth, but was left stranded when Hermida fanned with runners at the corners.
Fernando Rodney gave up a single to Cliff Pennington with one out in the ninth. Daric Barton walked with two outs, but Mark Ellis grounded out to end the game, as Rodney picked up his 13th save.
Suzuki's sacrifice foul out scored Daric Barton in the first inning, and Hermida homered during a two-run second.
Izturis and Howie Kendrick had RBI singles during a three-run bottom of the second, but the A's went back on top, 4-3, in the fourth on Cust's run-scoring base hit.
The Angels lead the season series, 9-8...Ellis, Cust and Pennington had three hits...Abreu has played in 149 games. With one more game played, he will match Willie Mays' record for most consecutive seasons (13) with 150-plus games played...Ellis is hitting .407 (37-for-91) this month.
For more Angels news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Halos Heaven.