Bassitt pitches two-hitter, fans nine as A's beat Angels 5-0

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Chris Bassitt pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game, Sean Murphy hit a two-run single in the decisive sixth inning and the Oakland Athletics took advantage after Bay Area traffic kept Shohei Ohtani off the mound for a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.

Bassitt (5-2) struck out nine and walked one to beat the Angels in back-to-back outings after a win Saturday in Anaheim, allowing just two runs in 7 2/3 innings. He completed this gem in 114 pitches, improving to 1-2 over five starts at home this year.

He allowed a one-out double in the ninth to Justin Upton then recovered to finish it in 2 hours, 59 minutes with Lou Trivino warming up in the bullpen.

Matt Chapman and Elvis Andrus also had run-scoring singles while Tony Kemp added a sacrifice fly in the five-run sixth in an interesting opener to the four-game series.

Everything changed quickly some 2 1/2 hours before first pitch.

Ohtani moved from the mound to designated hitter after his arrival to the ballpark got delayed when he was forced to take BART public transportation because of an accident on the Bay Bridge that held up the team bus.

Manager Joe Maddon inserted Ohtani as designated hitter and went with well-rested Patrick Sandoval, who allowed five five hits over five scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Aaron Slegers (2-2) relieved and gave up Chapman's RBI single to break up a scoreless game before Murphy gave Bassitt a nice cushion.

Ohtani, who hit his 15th home run Tuesday against Texas, went 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Mitch Moreland came off the injured list from a stint with an inflamed rib and had been set to start for Oakland before the Ohtani switch meant the A's faced a lefty starter rather than a right-hander.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Bassitt-pitches-two-hitter-fans-nine-as-A-s-beat-16209319.php