ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Anaheim Angels sent the Oakland Athletics and their best pitcher a message.
Tim Salmon hit a three-run homer and Ramon Ortiz pitched six strong innings as the Angels ended Barry Zito's 10-game winning streak and completed a three-game sweep of the Athletics, 8-2.
Unbeaten since August 8 at Boston, Zito (2-1) was hammered for seven runs and eight hits with four walks and just one strikeout in five innings. It was the 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner's worst outing since June 27, when he surrendered seven runs in three innings at Seattle.
"They've got a great lineup, but the bottom line is if you make good pitches, you get outs," Zito said. "Today, I was more trying to not make a bad pitch rather than attacking."
A notoriously slow starter, Salmon grabbed a portion of the AL home run lead when he belted his fifth of the season off Zito in the fourth inning. All five of Salmon's homers have come at the expense of the Athletics.
Ortiz (2-1) yielded two runs and four hits in six innings, walking one and striking out five to improve to 2-4 lifetime against Oakland.
"I think Ramon battled with inconsistency early but finished strong," Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said. "He was starting to come out of his mechanics a little bit. He didn't have his slider all game."
Ortiz did not disagree.
"I didn't have my good slider today," he said. "In the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, I threw some good pitches. I threw more fastballs than changeups."
Scot Shields struck out five in three innings for his first save.
Shawn Wooten and Troy Glaus also homered for the Angels, who have won five straight and moved into a tie with Oakland for first place in the AL West.
Terrence Long provided the only offense for the Athletics with a two-run homer in the second inning.
The sweep of Oakland was the first by any team since Toronto won three straight from May 17-19, a span of 41 series. It also was the Athletics' fourth straight setback, matching their longest losing stretch last season.
Anaheim wasted no time getting to Zito, who fell to 8-4 in 13 lifetime starts against the Angels.
David Eckstein drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first inning and Darin Erstad singled, putting runners on the corners. Garret Anderson followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Eckstein and give the Angels a 1-0 lead.
"After the walk to Eckstein, you kinda say, 'Uh-oh,' right off the bat," Oakland manager Ken Macha said. "But he's usually able to get through that."
Long put Oakland ahead in the second by sending a 1-2 offering over the center field wall, but Wooten evened things with a leadoff blast in the bottom half.
Zito ran into more trouble in the third as Anaheim took the lead for good.
Erstad opened the frame with an infield single and Anderson drew a one-out walk. After Glaus struck out, Wooten walked on five pitches to load the bases.
After stroking a two-run single on Saturday, Eric Owens repeated the feat, ripping an 0-1 pitch to left field to give the Angels a 4-2 advantage.
"What was impressive was the patience we showed," Scioscia added. "I think our approach is getting better. It's great to be productive, but we're doing it against some of the best arms in baseball."
Zito retired Chone Figgins to open the fourth, but Eckstein singled and Erstad walked before Salmon swatted a 1-0 offering over the left field fence for a 7-2 cushion.
"My first two at-bats were horrible," Salmon said. "(On the third one), I was ready. He just didn't locate it probably where he wanted to."
Glaus capped the scoring in the seventh, hitting his third homer of the season off Jeremy Fikac.
