Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea took an important step forward in battling the mental hurdles that have hindered him for the past six weeks.

His Oakland teammates took an equally big leap at the plate when they batted around during a four-run sixth inning.

Manaea pitched four-hit ball and allowed three runs over six innings LeSean McCoy Jersey , Stephen Piscotty hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning and the A’s broke out of their funk to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Saturday.

”I wouldn’t say I’m back,” said Manaea, who has had an uneven season since throwing the first no-hitter in the majors this season on April 21. ”I’m going to think and it’s just going to be a natural part of it but I would say I’m a little more calm in gathering my thoughts and not just thinking about the very, very little things that I can’t be worried about during games.”

Manaea was perfect through the first four innings but was on the verge of coming unraveled after giving up three consecutive hits including Chris Young’s three-run home run in the fifth.

After walking Jabari Blash after Young’s home run, Manaea settled down to retire the next two batters then set down three of the four he faced in the sixth to end his day.

”Definitely collected myself and slowed the game down Kalen Ballage Jersey ,” Manaea said. ”Kind of was just going through the motions a little bit. I was just throwing it and not executing. After the home run I just stepped off and really had to focus and slow the game down.”

Chad Pinder homered and tripled, Marcus Semien also went deep and Jonathan Lucroy drew a bases-loaded walk to help Oakland end its season-high four-game losing streak.

Manaea (6-6) struck out four and walked one to win for the second time in nine starts.

”All it takes for a guy of his caliber and talent level is to get a good outing or two under his belt and then he’s back to pitching confidently,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. ”When he’s confident he usually pitches game like that.”

Young, a late replacement after Angels left fielder Justin Upton was scratched from the starting lineup 40 minutes before first pitch, hit a three-run home run for Los Angeles.

The A’s had lost six straight and 12 of 13 to AL West teams before rallying to beat the Angels for only the third time this season.

Semien homered leading off the sixth to chase Los Angeles starter John Lamb. Reliever Noe Ramirez (2-3) hit Pinder with a pitch, retired Jed Lowrie on a fly out Aaron Jones Jersey , then walked Khris Davis before hitting Matt Olson to load the bases.

Ramirez struck out pinch-hitter Dustin Fowler but Lucroy walked to force in the tying. Piscotty then lined a 1-1 pitch to center, scoring Davis and Olson.

”We needed it,” Piscotty said. ”We haven’t lost any confidence, any faith, we’ve just got to keep going. We’ve got a good team.”

Yusmeiro Petit and Lou Trivino retired three players apiece. A’s closer Blake Treinen gave up a two-out RBI single to pinch-hitter Jose Fernandez in the ninth but got Luis Valbuena to ground out for his 15th save.

Lamb pitched into the sixth inning and allowed a pair of solo home runs in his first start since July 16, 2016. He struck out five and walked one. The 27-year-old left-hander missed 50 games last season after testing positive for drugs while in the minors.

”I thought he had all his pitches working Kemal Ishmael Jersey ,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ”He may have gotten a little tired coming out for the sixth. Got us to a nice point in the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold it.”

GEM OF A DEBUT

Angels right-hander Jake Jewell made his major league debut with a scoreless eighth inning. He hit Piscotty with a pitch but got Franklin Barreto to strike out looking for the third out.

JUST GET THERE

The A’s are 31-0 when leading after the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Upton was a late scratch due to lower back stiffness.

Athletics: Third baseman Matt Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right hand and will meet with hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin on Monday in Los Angeles. Chapman took infield practice before the game but did not throw. … LHP Brett Anderson threw 30 pitches in the bullpen.

UP NEXT

Lefty Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.68 ERA) starts for the Angels in the series finale Sunday at the Coliseum. Right-hander Daniel Mengden (6-6, 3.90) starts for the A’s.

Coach Dan Quinn says the Atlanta Falcons want to add a fullback and a safety among their four picks in the final four rounds of the NFL draft.

The team chose not re-sign fullback Derrick Coleman, the only player at his position on the roster, and it needs depth at safety behind starters Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen.

The Falcons have a fourth-round pick Delano Hill Jersey , a sixth-round pick and two spots in the seventh round. They chose Alabama receiver Calvin Ridley in the first round, Colorado cornerback Isaiah Oliver in the second and South Florida defensive tackle Deadrin Senat in the third.

Another area of concern is defensive end following the free-agent departure of sacks leader Adrian Clayborn. Vic Beasley, the NFL sacks leader in 2016, will move back to end this season after spending last year at linebacker and having a falloff in production, but Quinn still wants to improve the pass rush.

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