A's offense put on ice by Angels' C.J. Wilson

Anaheim --

Back in the early stages of the season when the A's were really sticking it to the Angels, Oakland's offense was lively, vibrant, dangerous.

The past eight games, the A's bats have switched off. The team managed just three hits Saturday night in a 2-0 loss to the Angels and C.J. Wilson, and the A's have scored just one run in the 18 innings of the second half. Oakland hasn't scored more than three runs in any of its past eight games and is batting .159 in that time, quite a contrast to the 48 runs the A's scored in their first five games against the Angels.

"We're in a little bit of an offensive funk," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "C.J. pitched well, and we're not at our best right now. ... We're grinding; we're just not getting results. We're not hitting balls hard enough to turn anything into a rally."

On Saturday evening, Dan Straily pitched well enough to get a win, giving up eight hits and two runs in seven innings while walking none and striking out four.

But allowing even one or two runs is dicey with as little backing as the A's starters are getting. And in the first inning, Straily grazed Mike Trout, Trout went to third on a base hit by Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly. Then Alberto Callaspo led off the seventh with a homer.

"I gave them a run by hitting Trout," Straily said. "And then the changeup (to Callaspo) for the second run."

Straily hasn't allowed more than two runs in five of his past six starts, and over his past 10 outings, he is 5-1 with a 2.80 ERA.

Wilson was at his best, with his slider, cutter and curveball all working well, and at one point he retired 18 in a row before Derek Norris' leadoff walk in the eighth.

Brandon Moss also walked that inning, and rookie second baseman Grant Green came up with two on and one out, still looking for his first big-league hit. He drove a flyball to deep right-center, but it was caught; Norris advanced to third before Coco Crisp popped up to end the inning. Wilson has won six of his past seven starts.

"Obviously, it hasn't been a great offensive stretch for us," Moss said. "But these two games are in no way indicative of how the rest of the season will go."

Green is 0-for-12 with six strikeouts to start his career.

Moss and Melvin said the A's appear to be pressing, especially in the later stages of games, as the team struggles to score runs.

The one A's player with decent numbers against Wilson, Yoenis Céspedes (4-for-11), was out for the second game in a row with left wrist soreness.

The buzz about Oakland as trade-deadline rumors start heating up revolved around the Cubs' Matt Garza after FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal mentioned that the A's have interest in the starter "at the right price." Given the A's current needs, though, a bat seems more appropriate for the team to pursue, with second base the most obvious spot for Oakland to upgrade.

Generally speaking, however, the A's have been more likely over the past decade or so to acquire relief pitching at the deadline than anything else. The team is also adept at post-deadline deals, a la Stephen Drew last season, and should an infielder such as Philadelphia's Chase Utley or Michael Young clear waivers and become available, there's little doubt the team would continue to explore moves. The Phillies don't appear to have decided yet if they're sellers.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: sslusser@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susanslusser