A’s Chapman shows off that All-Star flair in thumping of Angels

ANAHEIM – Not long before it was officially announced that Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman had been selected to his first All-Star team, he lined a three-run homer just over the yellow line in right field.

The celebration continued with Chapman’s leadoff triple in the eighth. Four runs later, he came up in the same inning with the bases loaded and delivered a three-run double, giving him a career-high six RBIs and putting the finishing touches on a 12-3 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.

The A’s won the final three games of the four-game series.

Chad Pinder, starting in right field in place of Stephen Piscotty, who sustained a right knee injury in the 4-0 win on Saturday night, doubled down the right-field line in the second inning to drive in the first run of the game.

Oakland tacked on another in the fourth after a leadoff single by Matt Olson and a walk to Mark Canha. Pinder grounded into a double play, but Ramon Laureano came through with a two-out RBI double to make it 2-0.

The Angels got a run back in their half of the fourth on the first of two solo home runs by Shohei Ohtani, but the A’s came back with three in the fifth on Chapman’s 21st homer of the season.

Los Angeles tried to rally in the sixth when their first two batters singled, but the Angels only plated one run on a two-out single by Kole Calhoun to make it 5-2.

Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (5-3) exited after the base hit. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits, striking out seven and walking two.

Laureano contributed two hits and two RBIs, and Josh Phegley had two hits for the second consecutive game for the A’s.