Angels Beat Twins, 5-2, For 7th Straight Win
ANAHEIM (AP) — Huston Street earned his 300th save, Kole Calhoun had three hits and drove in two runs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Wednesday night for their seventh straight victory.
Chris Iannetta homered and Albert Pujols had an RBI double for the Angels (54-40), who have won 13 of 15 while streaking to the top of the AL West.
Johnny Giavotella had three hits and scored three runs for the Angels, who briefly trailed for the first time during their streak in the third inning. They reclaimed the lead later in the inning on the way to their 17th win in their last 20 games.
Brian Dozier had an early two-run single for the Twins, who have lost four straight.
Street is the 27th pitcher to record 300 career saves, and the 31-year-old is the second-youngest to do it behind former Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Street hadn't earned a save since July 8 due to a combination of the All-Star break and his Angels' overall excellence, but he allowed just one walk in the ninth while picking up his 25th save of the season.
C.J. Wilson (8-7) yielded six hits and two walks while persevering through five innings. After Minnesota left seven runners on base in a frustrating three-inning stretch against Wilson, four Angels relievers finished up.
Mike Pelfrey (5-7) pitched six innings of nine-hit ball for the Twins in his fifth consecutive loss, extending a seven-start winless skid since June 7.
David Freese of the Angels left in the fourth after apparently getting hit on the right arm by an inside pitch.
Mike Trout went 0 for 4, starting as the Angels' designated hitter before taking over in center field for the seventh. The AL MVP sat out his first game of the season Tuesday with a sore left heel.
The Angels have outscored their opponents 44-9 during their seven-game streak.
The Angels trailed for the first time in 56 consecutive innings since July 11 when Dozier drove in two runs in the third inning, but Calhoun's run-scoring single erased the deficit in the bottom half of the third for the Angels.
Iannetta hit his second homer in two games in the second inning, lifting his average above .200 for the first time since April 6 in a dismal contract year.
Wilson escaped a bases-loaded jam with his 105th pitch in the fifth inning, getting Eddie Rosario on a grounder.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Rookie DH Miguel Sano went 0 for 3 with two walks in his return from a two-game absence with a sprained right ankle.
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver isn't quite ready to return from an injured left hip that has kept him out since June 21. He plans to throw another simulated game or make a minor-league start first.
UP NEXT
Twins: Ervin Santana (1-0, 3.66 ERA) faces his longtime Angels teammates in just his fourth start of the season.
Angels: Garrett Richards (10-6, 3.24 ERA) has ramped up to last season's near-unhittable form, capped by a shutout of Boston in his last start.
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