It's a great start, star Braden says

Anaheim, California: The Oakland Athletics scored eight runs in the final three innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-4 on Sunday.

Adam Rosales finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs and delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning to give the Athletics their first lead 4-3.

Oakland (5-2) trailed 3-1 through six innings before scoring three times in the seventh, three more in the eighth and twice in the ninth.

Starter Dallas Braden surrendered two runs to the Angels (2-5) in the first inning, but settled to pick up his first win of the season after pitching six innings and allowing three runs.

"We feel like were a frontrunner, and we feel like we can compete with anybody," Braden told reporters.

"If we can continue to do what we've done so far, which is win the series, we'll be OK.

"It's a great way to start the month and obviously a great way to start the season."

Athletics' reliever Tyson Ross took over from Braden in the seventh and got the save despite allowing a solo home run to Juan Rivera in the ninth.

Oakland had been slow to get going, but they exploded in the seventh when Mark Ellis sparked things with an RBI double. He also added an RBI single in the ninth and scored twice.

The Angels bullpen suffered at the hands of the Athletics' bats, after starter Joe Saunders left having allowed four runs in six innings.

Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu both had two hits and a RBI each for Los Angeles, who are off to a difficult start to the season having won just two of their first seven games.

McGwire returns

Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP who left the New York Yankees to join the Angels, finished 0-for-3. "Right now, from the offensive side, we're not getting to a point often enough where we put pressure on [other teams]," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said.

Home run king Barry Bonds said he is "proud" of slugger Mark McGwire for returning to baseball as the St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach and for admitting his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

"I have a really good friendship with Mark McGwire. I'm proud of him," Bonds said on Sunday. "We've had a great relationship throughout our entire lives and throughout our career. I'm proud of what he did. I'm happy for him."

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