Canseco Gone A’s Move On : Baseball: Oakland uses hitting and pitching to defeat the Angels, 3-0, to maintain 4 1/2-game lead over Minnesota.

Slowly, the Oakland Athletics appear to be gathering strength for a final push toward the American League West championship.

Having shaken the paralysis that gripped their bats after the Jose Canseco trade, the A’s on Wednesday night combined opportunistic hitting with exceptional pitching to stifle the Angels, 3-0, before 21,795 at Anaheim Stadium and maintain their 4 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins.

Dave Stewart (11-9) shut out the Angels on two hits for seven innings before yielding to Jeff Russell, who held the Angels hitless in the eighth. Dennis Eckersley pitched a hitless ninth to earn his major league-leading 43rd save and clinch Oakland’s third victory in four games.

“They haven’t replaced the punch as of yet, but their pitching was very good against us,” said Angel Manager Buck Rodgers. “That surprised me more than anything, that we didn’t handle their pitching at all. When you get pitching like that, you’re not going to need hitting.”

Stewart struck out seven and faced only 22 batters--one over the minimum--thanks to two double plays and a foiled stolen-base attempt. The Angels, who finished this home stand with a 5-7 record, were unable to get a runner to second on Wednesday.

“The position we’re in for the first time all year, is we’ve got choices,” Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said of his new pitching depth. “We’ve got choices for the rotation and a list of relievers. It’s a lot of fun. It gives you a hell of a chance to win.”

Mark Langston (12-13) struck out six in recording his seventh complete game of the season and first since June 27. He is 0-7 since his last victory over the A’s on Aug. 12, 1987, when he was with the Seattle Mariners.

“With Langston being on the other side, it helps raise your game to a different level,” Stewart said. “When you’re pitching against guys like that you know you may not get a lot to work with. Tonight, I was fortunate enough to be at my best.”

Both pitchers got off to good starts and benefited from excellent defense. Stewart faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings, getting a double play after each of the two singles he yielded.

He gave up a leadoff single to Luis Sojo in the third, but Gary DiSarcina grounded to second baseman Lance Blankenship, who flipped to shortstop Mike Bordick covering second. Bordick’s relay to first got DiSarcina. Stewart ended the inning by striking out John Orton.

The Angels tried to get something going in the fourth but were foiled by Oakland’s defense. Blankenship made an acrobatic catch on Rob Ducey’s line drive to start the inning, and after Ken Oberkfell singled to center, Bordick started an inning-ending double play on a grounder by Chad Curtis.

The A’s pushed a run across in the fifth. With one out, Terry Steinbach singled to center, and took third when Willie Wilson dumped a single to right.

Randy Ready then hit a liner up the middle that Langston deflected toward the DiSarcina, who was able only to get the out at first, while Steinbach scored.

Back-to-back singles in the seventh by Steinbach and Wilson gave the A’s runners on first and second with, and Ready followed with a grounder under Langston’s glove. Steinbach scored and Wilson took third. Wilson scored to make it 3-0 on Bordick’s slow grounder.