Jhoulys Chacin's struggles continue vs. A's

ANAHEIM >> Jhoulys Chacin had a chance Saturday night to show he belonged in a suddenly crowded rotation.

After he was acquired in a trade with Atlanta in early May, Chacin pieced together a 3.76 ERA in his first five starts with the Angels. He even threw a complete game in a win over Detroit on Memorial Day.

The results that followed over his next three starts were far less encouraging for the right-hander. He combined for a 10.33 ERA, including six runs in two iings against the Astros in his last outing in Houston.

The Angels’ pitching staff now boasts six healthy starters, enough depth that Nick Tropeano, despite boasting the best ERA of the bunch, was optioned to Triple-A, even as injuries had piled on earlier in the season.

Yet if this was part of an audition for Chacin, it did not go over especially well.

Despite facing the Oakland Athletics, who had scored the fewest runs in the American League when Saturday began, Chacin gave up four runs in 4 2/3 iings and allowed 10 ruers to reach base.

The Angels lost 7-3 and remained in last place in the AL West, dropping to 17 games out of first place. For the second this season, they also have a six-game losing streak.

They loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth iing with one out, with a chance to tie the game, but Jefry Marte and Jett Bandy each flew out.

Chacin, who walked four, did not record a strikeout for the first time since September 2013.

Oakland jumped ahead from the onset when Day Valencia smacked a first-pitch fastball 425 feet to center field for a two-run home run in the first iing.

After giving up a two-out, RBI single to Khris Davis in the fifth, Chacin left the game at 84 pitches.

The Angels did manage some offensive fireworks.

In the fifth iing, Albert Pujols hit a 424-foot shot to left field that brought them within one run at the time.

For Pujols, it was his 574th career home run, the solo blast moving him past Harmon Killebrew for 11th on the all-time list after tying the former Miesota Twins slugger the previous night. He sits 10 homers shy of passing Mark McGwire.

Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun each hit a solo home run in the first iing.

It was the 29th time that Trout and Pujols had homered in the same game, the most in club history, surpassing the combination of Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon, who went deep in the same game 28 times in their career.

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The Angels were facing rookie left-hander Dillon Overton, who was making his major-league debut at 24 years old.

Overton had allowed two home runs in his 13 starts at Triple-A this season, but gave up the three solo blasts Saturday.

He was effective enough, throwing 108 pitches, 71 for strikes, over 5 2/3 iings, and just four more hits, all singles.

The A’s tacked on a few more insurance runs in a three-run, sixth iing off Mike Morin.

Their first two ruers got on base before Coco Crisp singled to center field to bring them home. Valencia later had his own single to score Crisp.