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		All Tied Up In The West By Jeremy Kahn September 1, 2005
	Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ervin Santana waves to the crowd after leaving the game in the ninth inning during their 3-0 win over the Oakland Athletics Thursday, Sept. 30, 2005, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
	Going into the last month of the regular season, the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are right back where they started on the first day of the season. Once again, the two American League teams from the State of California are even up, after the Angels shut out the A’s 3-0 at Angel Stadium. Bengie Molina got the Angels on the board in the bottom of the third inning, when he singled home Chone Figgins off eventual losing pitcher Joe Kennedy. Robb Quinlan doubled the lead to 2-0 when he hit his second home run of the series in the bottom of the fourth inning. When Vladimir Guerrero stole third base with Quinlan at the plate, Jason Kendall committed a throwing error that gave the Angels their final run of the evening and a tie atop the division. Figgins went 3-for-3 and Garret Anderson picked up three hits in four at-bats, as the Angels took two out of three. Ervin Santana was stifling for the Angels, as the rookie went 8.1 giving up just six hits, while walking no one and striking out four on the way to his eighth win of the season. Francisco Rodriguez came on to replace Santana, and despite having Eric Chavez on base, the Angels closer was able to get out of the jam and preserve his 32nd save of the season. Kennedy pitched six strong innings, giving up two of the three Angels runs on the evening, while striking out two and walking two. It was just the second start as a member of the A’s for Kennedy, who is replacing Rich Harden in the rotation. NOTES: The A’s return to the friendly confines of McAfee Coliseum, where they have not played since losing two out of three to the Kansas City Royals during the weekend of August 19-21. Entering McAfee Coliseum will be the New York Yankees. In their last trip to the Bay Area, the Yankees swept the A’s during the A’s tailspin in the month of May, when were looking bleak for the Green and Gold. Ken Macha will send Danny Haren to the mound, as the first year A’s pitcher will be looking for his 12th win of the season, while Joe Torre will counter with the veteran lefthander Al Leiter.