ANGELS PUSHED TO EDGE LOSS TO OAKLAND PUTS THEM ONE GAME FROM ELIMINATION OAKLAND 5, ANGELS 4 (12).

Byline: DOUG PADILLA  Staff Writer

OAKLAND -- Try as they might, the Angels are one more defeat this weekend from elimination.

Marco Scutaro hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning to deep center field over a five-man infield to give the Oakland Athletics a 5-4 victory.

If the A's win today or Sunday they will end the Angels' two-year reign as American League West champs.

Francisco Rodriguez (2-3), who has had a tough road trip with a blown save and two other saves despite loading the bases, took the defeat. He gave up the run in his second inning of work.

The Angels were down to their last out before a ninth-inning rally tied the score 4-4.

``Our guys didn't quit, but the bottom line is we lost the ballgame,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

``We did a lot of things well on the field and some things didn't get done, but when it comes down to it those guys played a little better.''

The Angels received their improbable dose of new life in the ninth just moments after Howie Kendrick's base-running gaffe.

Kendrick opened the ninth with a single, his third hit of the game, and pinch hitter Erick Aybar followed with a blooper to left that fell between left fielder Jay Payton and shortstop Scutaro. But Kendrick was caught between first and second and Payton was able to throw to second in time to get a forceout.

Chone Figgins then fouled out, leaving the Angels an out from defeat. Maicer Izturis followed with a looper down the left-field line that Payton appeared to catch while sliding, but the ball popped out of his glove. Aybar never stopped running and with Payton slow to get to his feet, he scored the tying run.

The A's had taken a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning when Milton Bradley took a tiring Jered Weaver into the seats in right field for his 12th home run.

It was the third home run of the night off Weaver, who gave up just five hits. His 112-pitch outing was the longest of his brief career, bringing questions as to why Scioscia didn't go to the bullpen.

``We felt he was going to give us what we needed,'' Scioscia said. ``This wasn't any fishing expedition to send him out there. We thought he would go out there and get the outs. We didn't send him out there for any reason at all than to say `Hey, Jered, you're throwing the ball great and your stuff's still there.'

``Unfortunately, the changeup to Payton got too much of the plate.''

Said Weaver: ``It was a changeup that I left up. He put it in the books and hit out of the park. What can you do? I felt like I threw the ball well, but a couple of pitches, they hit out of the park. But there isn't much you can do but shake your head.''

There was barely a peep out of either team through the first three innings, as the expected pitchers' duel started to take shape.

Oakland's Barry Zito had faced the minimum nine batters, although he did give up a single to Kendrick in the third inning. He was erased on a double play.

Weaver was even more impressive in the early going, as he retired the first nine batters he faced. The first A's batter to reach base was Jason Kendall, who led off the fourth with a walk. Mark Kotsay followed with an RBI double.

Nick Swisher gave the A's a 2-0lead in the fifth inning with a home run to right-center.

The Angels finally broke through against Zito in the sixth inning with two runs, although they wasted a couple of scoring chances in the process. Robb Quinlan popped out with one out and the bases loaded. Vladimir Guerrero was then thrown out at the plate on an RBI single by Garret Anderson.

The Angels took their first lead of the game in the seventh inning when Kendrick crushed an 0-1 pitch from Zito into the seats in left field for a leadoff home run. It was Kendrick's fourth of the season.

Eric Chavez answered with his own leadoff home run in the seventh when he sent a 3-1 pitch from Weaver into the right-field stands. Weaver kicked at the rubber the second the ball left Chavez's bat.

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Photo:

The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero drops a flyball by Oakland's Jay Payton during the seventh inning.

George Nikitin/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS at OAKLAND

- Doug Padilla