OAKLAND -- There were some positives to take away from Tyler Skaggs' first start of the regular season, but the Angels left-hander was doomed by a four-run third inning in a 5-1 loss to the A's in Thursday's series finale at Oakland Coliseum.
Skaggs took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out five.
"I think there were definitely some highlights in there, and some things that got away from him, but all in all, stuff looked good," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He lost some counts and obviously the walks didn't help, but the stuff was there."
Skaggs blanked the A's through the first two innings before running into trouble in the third. Adam Rosales led off the inning with a first-pitch single to right field, setting the table for the A's offensive eruption.
"After that, I was rushing a little bit out of the stretch and I let some pitches get away from me," Skaggs said.
Following Rosales' single, Skaggs surrendered a single, a walk and a sacrifice fly. But the biggest blow came when the 25-year-old southpaw threw a 1-0 fastball to Ryon Healy, who pummeled it into the left-field bleachers for a two-run homer, putting Oakland ahead, 4-1. Skaggs said he wanted to throw the pitch outside, but he ended up leaving it over the middle of the plate.

"I wish I had [it] back, but it's part of the game," Skaggs said.
After allowing Healy's homer, Skaggs settled in and retired seven in a row, until he gave up a leadoff double to Khris Davis in the sixth. Skaggs was then lifted after allowing a one-out RBI single to Trevor Plouffe.
"It was just one of those things where I have to pitch frustrated," Skaggs said. "I have to pitch mad. I was attacking the hitters. I think I was trying to be a little too fine in the third inning, especially after a guy got on. And I just need to pitch to my strengths and not their strengths."