A's fall to Angels 8-7 in Matsui's debut

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Feb. 28, 2011A'S PAGEA'S VIDEO
BOXSCOREMLB PAGEMLB SCOREBOARD

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Veteran right-hander Joel Pineiro gave up two hits in two scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the A's 8-7 on Monday.

"I wasn't nervous, but I just wanted to get out there and throw that first pitch," said Pineiro, who was 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts for the Angels last season. "You could tell (the ball) was moving good. It was a matter of controlling the movement."

Kevin Mellilo had two RBIs, and Howie Kendrick and Bobby Abreu each drove in a run for Los Angeles. Vernon Wells was 1 for 3 in his first spring game with the Angels.

Oakland ace Dallas Braden gave up two runs, two hits and two walks in an inning in his spring debut, and Hideki Matsui was 0 for 2 with an RBI in his first game with the Athletics.

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Matsui batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Angels after spending his first seven major league seasons with the New York Yankees.

Braden was victimized by two errors by left fielder Chris Carter in the first inning. Carter dropped Wells' routine fly ball and bobbled Kendrick's single allowing runners to advance a base.

"It happens," Braden said."It's spring training for a reason."

Braden said he kept his repertoire guarded and simple, not wanting to injure his throwing elbow where tightness bothered him in the early part of 2010.

"Obviously, we're not throwing the kitchen sink at them," Braden said. " I have to be cognizant of what triggers the (elbow) problem."

Abreu doubled in Peter Bourjos in the fourth, Melillo had a two-run double in the sixth and Andrew Romine drove in another run in the seventh.

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Angels' reliever Matt Meyer walked Matsui and Conor Jackson to force in two runs in the fifth. Michael Taylor hit his first spring homer off Angels' right-hander Ryan Brasier in Oakland's three-run eighth.

Wells played his first game in left field with Bourjos in center field and Torii Hunter in right.

"We all went to center field just to greet Peter," Wells said of the start of the game. "We (Hunter and Wells) told him we thought we were playing (center field)."

Abreu and Bourjos had two hits each for Los Angeles, and Taylor and Kevin Kouzmanoff had two apiece for the A's.

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