Chavez finally gets support but 'pen squanders lead

Jesse Chavez entered Friday's game with an MLB-worst 2.00 average run support.ANAHEIM -- Jesse Chavez pitched well, and even got twice his usual run support. The A's hit three home runs, including a seventh-inning two-run shot by Josh Reddick that gave them a late lead. Really, Oakland only had one shaky area -- its bullpen -- Friday night at Angel Stadium, but it was enough to cost the A's in a 5-4 loss in the series opener. And that hasn't been unusual.

"The numbers indicate where we are with [the bullpen] -- and it's not good," manager Bob Melvin said. "It's the reason we're losing games like that."

The reliever who gave up the big hits Friday was one of the A's better ones, too -- Evan…