NOE RAMIREZ pitched the final two innings of he Angels’ 12-7 win Wednesday over the Oakland A’s (Angels photo).

By Pete Zarustica

The Los Angeles Angels are not having what you’d call a blockbuster kind of season, but lately the team has been giving fans their money’s worth in terms of entertainment.

A five-run rally in the top of the 11th inning on Wednesday propelled the Halos to a 12-7 win over Athletics in Oakland. It was the team’s fourth win five games and improved their record to 26-29. That puts the Angels in fourth place, two games out of third place and 10 games back of the division-leading Houston Astros.

After the teams battled to a 7-all nine-inning standoff, the Angels settled it with an onslaught that included a hit batsman, a walk, a sacrifice bunt that allowed a runner to score. That gave the Orange County team an 8-7 lead which would be enough for the win, but the visitors tacked on four more runs, assisted by a passed ball, a walk and two singles.

Stars of the late show included Tommy La Stella (3-for7 with a run scored and one RBI) and Cesar Puello (3 for 6, including a home run, with four RBIs and two runs scored).

Puello, a rookie, was filling in for Mike Trout, who is resting a sore right foot.

“It’s kind of bend don’t break,” Kole Calhoun said. “No one ever gave up. We kept on having good at-bats, putting together some nice little rallies. It’s just nice to come out and compete and see some of that paying off. There were a bunch of rallies late. A lot of teams could kind of shut it down. We were able to come out and keep fighting.”

The Angels got a good start from Griffin Canning, who worked six innings as the Halos built a 3-1 lead. He yielded three hit and one run and struck out five batters while walking just one.

But the Halo bullpen was touched for nine hits and six runs the rest of the way. The win went to Noe Ramirez (2-0), who pitched the final two innings, giving up three hits but no runs. She struck out two batters.

The Angels will try to keep their warm streak going today (Thursday) in Seattle with Felix Pena (2-1) making the start for the Halos at 7:10 p.m.