Shoemaker struggles as Angels lose to Athletics, 6-3

Oakland 6, Angels 3

KEY MOMENT: Angels starter Matt Shoemaker walked the first batter of the game, Sam Fuld, on four pitches. Shoemaker also walked the third batter, Stephen Vogt. In his previous two starts this season, Shoemaker had faced 50 batters and walked one. Vogt also put the A’s ahead for good with a three-run home run off Shoemaker in the third inning.

AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols doubled and singled, two of the Angels’ five hits. Mike Trout singled, his lone hit in his last 12 at-bats. The Angels are batting .214 as a team, and they have scored six runs in their last three games, all losses.

ON THE MOUND: Shoemaker was hard-pressed to find the strike zone and was pounded when he did. He threw 68 pitches — 35 strikes, 33 balls. He faced 18 batters and retired eight. He gave up seven hits — including two home runs and two doubles — and lasted three-plus innings. Jose Alvarez pitched three shutout innings in relief.

EXTRA BASES: The Angels’ starting rotation has a 5.25 earned-run average. Shoemaker is at 6.46 and Jered Weaver at 6.61. … Angels Manager Mike Scioscia shrugged off the unimpressive records of every American League West team. “I think it’s the toughest division in baseball,” Scioscia said. … Monday marked the 35th anniversary of Scioscia’s major league debut. In his first at-bat, he doubled off Joe Niekro.

UP NEXT: The Angels’ Hector Santiago (1-1, 2.92) faces Oakland’s Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 3.00) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Angel Stadium. TV: FS West. Radio: 830, 1220.