A's stumble and must regroup with Angels coming (w/video)

OAKLAND - This is a week when the Oakland Athletics could really use some momentum. The first-place Los Angeles Angels are coming to the Coliseum for a key weekend series in the heart of the stretch run.

Instead, the A’s are still searching for answers to their funk and settled for a split with the New York Mets in their quick two-game interleague series following Wednesday’s 8-5 loss.

“We have an off day tomorrow to clear our heads,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We know it will be an exciting series and a big series coming up. It should be a big crowd and so forth, so you should be able to move past what is a difficult period for us right now and play for the moment.”

Lucas Duda hit a three-run homer, and Eric Campbell also connected against Jeff Samardzija (3-3 with the A’s).

Zack Wheeler (9-8) allowed two earned runs while working 5? solid innings. Wheeler is 6-0 with a 2.12 ERA over his nine outings since June 30. The A’s chased him after two innings in the shortest start of his career on June 25.

Jeurys Familia relieved Vic Black with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and walked in a run but avoided further damage. He recorded his fourth save.

Samardzija had been unbeaten in five previous starts at the Coliseum. This time, he was done after 3? innings.

“Usually your team gets you five runs it ends in a victory,” Samardzija said. “A big game today and I didn’t do my part. It stings.”

The A’s closed to 5-2 in the third on consecutive RBI doubles by Coco Crisp and John Jaso. But New York added on in the fourth with RBI singles from Curtis Granderson and Daniel Murphy.

Acquired in a July 4 trade from the Cubs, Samardzija has never beaten the Mets in nine appearances and three starts.

Oakland lost for the eighth time in 10 games. The A’s returned home from a 1-6 road trip through Kansas City and Atlanta in which they lost their last five.

Murphy’s two-run fielding error aided the A’s in the fourth. He nearly had the ball, but it skipped off his glove and then he inadvertently kicked it.