OAKLAND -- Fans of a certain age remember when legends pitched for the A’s, including stars such as Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue. More recently, the trio of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito elevated pitching into an art form while representing Oakland.

None of them, however, made the Coliseum mound into a stage in quite the way that Brett Anderson is doing now.

Anderson lengthened his streak of scoreless innings at home to 34 1/3 in Oakland’s 4-2 victory Saturday night over the Angels. It’s the longest such streak in franchise history since the A’s moved to Oakland in 1968.

Asked if he was aware of his accomplishment, the soft-spoken Anderson said dryly, “I am now.”

Anderson, who walked two and struck out four, sustained more than his personal excellence. Since Oakland yielded 14 runs in last week’s pair of losses to Seattle in Tokyo, A’s starters have pitched six shutout innings in three consecutive games. Mike Fiers, Marco Estrada and Anderson are the first trio of A’s starters to work six innings or more in succession since Kirk Saarloos, Zito and Joe Blanton did so from Aug. 24-26, 2005.

“They’re all doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s good to see,’ A’s manager Bob Melvin said.

Stephen Piscotty’s two-run single in the third inning and Mark Canha’s two-run homer one inning later generated all the support Anderson needed.

Anderson weathered early trouble, escaping a first-and-third, one-out jam in the second inning by striking out Peter Bourjos and coaxing David Fletcher’s pop fly. Beginning with Bourjos’ whiff, Anderson retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced.

“I just tried to settle in and make some better pitches,” Anderson said, explaining his effectiveness. “The slider was a good pitch to get back into a competitive count. Before, it was sinkers and changeups.”

The Angels rallied in the eighth on Mike Trout’s sacrifice fly and Andrelton Simmons’ RBI single before Oakland closer Blake Treinen ended the threat by slipping a called third strike past Justin Bohr and retiring Jonathan Lucroy on a popup to strand two runners.

Treinen completed his somewhat unusual five-out save by pitching a perfect ninth.

Melvin acknowledged that he didn’t want to heap so much work upon Treinen this early in the season. “It was a little extreme,” Melvin said. But with relievers Joakim Soria and Lou Trivino given the night off to rest their arms, Melvin had little choice.

“With the tying run [on base], it was time to go to him,” Melvin said.

Up next

Frankie Montas, one of Oakland's top performers during Cactus League exhibitions, will start Sunday's series finale against the Angels. Montas posted a 2-0 record with a 0.56 ERA in five spring appearances. He'll oppose left-hander Tyler Skaggs.