First baseman Ike Davis throws perfect relief inning in loss to Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics' most effective pitcher against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night was first baseman Ike Davis.

There was no point in manager Bob Melvin wasting any of his regular relievers in the eighth inning of a sloppy,14-1 loss in which Drew Pomeranz and Fernando Abad surrendered three-run homers to Johnny Giavotella and Kole Calhoun.

So Davis, the son of formerYankeespitcher Ron Davis, volunteered his services.

"We obviously didn't play a clean game," Melvin said. "We've been on the other side of blowouts this year, and it doesn't feel that great when you're on the side we were tonight. It was just a bad game all the way around. At least we got a little levity at the end there with Ike."

Davis, who had a 2.25 ERA at Arizona State, retired Collin Cowgill, C.J. Cron and Chris Iannetta on ground balls while throwing just nine pitches. It was the first time the A's had a position player pitch since Frank Menechino on July 18, 2000, against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

"It was interesting, for sure," Davis said. "I'm just glad I threw strikes and didn't have to throw too many pitches. I miss that part of the game, and I've always wanted to get back up there and see what I could do and if I could get outs. I was a little nervous. I didn't want to walk the house and look like a clown out there."

It was anything but comedic relief for the Angels.

"You never like facing a guy like that because it's a lose-lose situation," Cron said. "I got a good pitch to hit, but I hit it right into the ground. He got three outs, so he did his job. He pitched in college, so he knows what he's doing."