Angels beat Rangers 3-2 to trim AL West lead

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — In a game full of significant plays and misplays, it came down to the Los Angeles Angels’ most effective reliever against the Texas Rangers’ most dangerous hitter.

This time, Ernesto Frieri got the better of Josh Hamilton.

C.J. Wilson pitched six scoreless innings against his former teammates, Alberto Callaspo singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh and the surging Angels held off Texas 3-2 Saturday night to pull within 3½ games of the AL West-leading Rangers.

Bobby Cassevah (1-0) got two outs for the victory, Los Angeles’ 10th in 11 games. Frieri, the fifth Angels pitcher, worked 1 1-3 innings for his fourth save in four chances after the Rangers scored an unearned run in the eighth against Scott Downs.

Frieri ended it by striking out Hamilton with the bases loaded after an 11-pitch walk to Ian Kinsler and a throwing error by Gold Glove shortstop Erick Aybar on a routine grounder by Elvis Andrus kept the inning alive.

“That was awesome. I can’t believe that I struck him out,” Frieri said. “He’s a good fastball hitter, but I made a really good pitch to him, a fastball up in the zone. I wasn’t trying to strike him out — just get out of that tough inning. They have so many good hitters in that lineup. That was an amazing at-bat by Kinsler.”

The Rangers have lost four straight for the first time since a five-game stretch last June, which was their longest skid of 2011. Manager Ron Washington held a closed-door meeting after the game to air out his concerns.

“You’ll see tomorrow if I made a difference,” Washington said. “So much happened out there that was totally uncharacteristic of what we are, and it just opened up opportunities for the Angels to get some runs on the board. Yu Darvish did a heck of a job out there tonight, and we didn’t support him because we didn’t make the plays. It was a very ugly performance.”

Aybar, robbed of a home run by center fielder Craig Gentry in the third, led off the Angels’ two-run seventh with a bunt single and stole second with one out. Andrus fielded Mike Trout’s grounder to shortstop with Aybar cutting in front of him and immediately started motioning to the umpires that the ball grazed Aybar — instead of making the throw to first.

The speedy Trout was credited with a hit, and Washington came out for a brief discussion with second base ump Ted Barrett and third base partner Marvin Hudson before play resumed. Callaspo then lined a single to right over a drawn-in infield to regain the lead for the Angels.

Darvish (7-3) walked Albert Pujols, and Kendrys Morales followed with a sacrifice fly against Koji Uehara. Right fielder Nelson Cruz’s throw home was on target, and Yorvit Torrealba tagged Trout as he slid in. But umpire Tim McClelland called him safe and Torrealba was ejected after throwing a tantrum.

Washington joined the argument, and Torrealba resumed his position behind the plate — not realizing that he had been tossed. Once he finally got the message, he threw another tantrum before heading to the dugout.

“I thought he was definitely out. I thought the throw beat him and I know I tagged him,” Torrealba said. “I was trying to block the plate, but I don’t think he was in the right position to tell if he was out or safe. Obviously it happened so fast. I’m an emotional player, and I went off.

“I didn’t really say anything bad, but I got tossed because I threw my mask down. That’s what he said. I was frustrated because he missed the call. I went back behind the plate because I knew I didn’t say anything bad to him. I was like: ‘No way! No way! You missed the call!’ I didn’t know I was ejected until I threw the ball to Elvis and (McClelland) said: ‘You’ve got to go.’ Then Ron told me: ‘Yeah, you have to go.’”

Darvish was charged with three runs — two earned — and five hits over 6 1-3 innings. He struck out seven, walked three and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.

“He’s got great stuff,” Trout said. “He’s got a bunch of pitches, so you can’t just sit on one. It was definitely better this time because we already saw him in Texas. He was battling just like we were. You just try not to miss your pitch.”

Pujols led off the sixth with a popup that first baseman Mike Napoli misjudged with the wind blowing out toward right field, and it fell behind him for a two-base error as Pujols slid under the tag of second baseman Kinsler.

“I just screwed it up, basically,” Napoli said. “I kind of drifted back, rather than running to a spot, and I turned around too early.”

Pujols stole third as Morales struck out, then scored the game’s first run when three-time Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre fielded Mark Trumbo’s grounder, thought about throwing home and dropped the ball before recovering too late to get the runner at first. Trumbo was credited with an RBI.

The Rangers tied it in the seventh after loading the bases with none out against Jordan Walden. Michael Young was erased at the plate on a fielder’s choice grounder to third baseman Callaspo, who nearly threw the ball away and was bailed out by Bobby Wilson’s diving grab with one foot on the plate. Cassevah relieved Walden and gave up pinch-hitter David Murphy’s sacrifice fly.

C.J. Wilson threw 104 pitches, allowing five hits and striking out five — including Beltre his first three times up. The left-hander, who signed a five-year, $77.5 million contract with the Angels in December after helping pitch the Rangers to consecutive AL pennants, has allowed one run in 20 innings over his last three starts.

After grounding into three double plays for the first time this season during Friday night’s 4-2 loss, the Rangers matched that total in the first three innings. Torrealba’s double play ended the second after a double by Cruz and a walk to Napoli. The Angels executed another double play in the fourth when Cruz struck out and Bobby Wilson threw out Young trying to steal second.

Gentry, who has shared center-field duties with Hamilton, timed his leap perfectly on Aybar’s towering fly to left-center and reached over the 8-foot fence to grab it.

MARINERS 10, WHITE SOX 8 (12)

CHICAGO — Ichiro Suzuki homered twice, John Jaso hit a tiebreaking double in the 12th inning and Seattle ended Chicago’s nine-game winning streak.

TIGERS 4, YANKEES 3

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera hit two prodigious homers and Omir Santos’ sacrifice fly in the ninth inning gave the Tigers a wild victory over the Yankees.

RED SOX 7, BLUE JAYS 4

TORONTO — Felix Doubront won for the fifth time in six starts, Nick Punto homered and Boston (28-25) moved a season-high three games above .500.

ATHLETICS 9, ROYALS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Athletics took advantage of some bumbling Kansas City defense to pile up their most offense in more than three weeks and Brandon McCarthy (4-3) came off the disabled list to throw six innings, helping the A’s snap a nine-game losing.

ORIOLES 2, RAYS 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brian Matusz gave up two hits in 7 1/3 innings and the Orioles ended a six-game losing streak.

by holding off the Rays.

TWINS 7, INDIANS 4

CLEVELAND — Joe Mauer broke out of a slump with three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer against the Indians, who have lost six of eight.

Dodgers rebound

DENVER — Aaron Harang pitched six strong innings, Bobby Abreu homered for the first time this year and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended a season-worst five-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Andre Ethier and Elian Herrera had two hits and two RBIs each and James Loney also had two hits for the Dodgers.

GIANTS 2, CUBS 1

AN FRANCISCO — Matt Cain pitched into the ninth inning on the way to winning his fifth straight start to deal the Cubs their ninth straight road loss.

METS 5, CARDINALS 0

NEW YORK — R.A. Dickey followed up Johan Santana’s no-hitter by shutting out St. Louis, David Wright homered and the Mets won for the sixth time in eight games.

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 4

PHILADELPHIA — Hanley Ramirez hit two homers and drove in three runs and Ricky Nolasco (6-3) allowed four runs on eight hits in seven-plus innings to improve to 6-1 in seven career starts at Philadelphia for the Marlins.

NATIONALS 2, BRAVES 0

WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg pitched four-hit ball for seven sharp innings and Jesus Flores homered.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, PADRES 2

SAN DIEGO — Daniel Hudson pitched eight strong innings and Paul Goldschmidt homered, leading the Diamondbacks, who have scored two runs or less in three of their last four games.

BREWERS 5, PIRATES 1

MILWAUKEE — Brooks Conrad ended his 0-for-27 slump to start the season, hitting a homer and driving in three runs to lead the Brewers past the Pirates.

REDS 12, ASTROS 9

HOUSTON — Drew Stubbs homered and drove in four runs, Brandon Phillips added three RBIs and the Reds outlasted Houston to hand the Astros their eighth straight defeat.

Joey Votto went 4 for 4 with a home run and a walk. Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick also connected for the Reds, who set a season high for runs.