Angels Top Rangers 6-3 As Detwiler Falters
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ARLINGTON (AP) - Ross Detwiler was getting outs for the Texas Rangers, even with all the balls in the air.
Then in a matter of four batters, the Los Angeles Angels hit two over the wall and went on to a 6-3 victory Monday night.
Detwiler (0-2) got 11 of his 16 outs on flyballs in his home debut, but gave up the big drives to Collin Cowgill and David Freese in the fifth inning. He only got two outs on grounders, one of those a dribbler in front of the plate.
"Again. All day, falling behind. Never getting the hitters defensive," said Detwiler, who was a Washington reliever last season. "I had command early in that first inning and then lost it and never really found it again."
The Rangers, who alternated wins and losses the first week of the season, have consecutive losses for the first time. They have lost 10 of their last 11 home games against AL West rival Los Angeles.
Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland had consecutive RBI singles before a sacrifice fly by Elvis Andrus to put Texas ahead 3-0.
But Matt Shoemaker (2-0) didn't allow another run while pitching into the seventh. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA in four career starts against Texas after striking out seven with one walk in 6 1-3 innings.
"Just a great game from where it started to where it ended up," manager Mike Scioscia said.
Shoemaker has won nine consecutive decisions over his last 10 games overall.
With an announced attendance of 18,401, the Rangers had their first home crowd of less than 20,000 since July 2010, before the first of their consecutive World Series appearances.
Detwiler struck out three and walked four while giving up five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Both homers by the Angels came with runners on base after drawing walks off Detwiler. Cowgill's first homer of the season tied the game at 3, and Freese's third made it 5-3.
"Loss of command of his fastball," manager Jeff Banister said. "The pitches that got hit for home runs were up."
Los Angeles got its first run in the fourth on a play that ended with Matt Joyce thrown out trying to stretch his RBI double into a triple, though it took a 3-minute, 13-second replay review for that call to stand.
Joyce hit a ball that ricocheted off the glove of right fielder Shin-Soo Choo in the gap. Joyce kept running and dived head-first into third base as Adrian Beltre swiped to tag him. Third base umpire Dan Iassogna called him out in what initially looked clearly to be an out before the Angels challenged the call.
Umpires took a long time looking at replays. Some angles appearing to show Joyce avoiding a tag on his arm, and others seemed to show Beltre's glove making contact.
NICE START
Carlos Peguero has hits in all three of his games for Texas since getting called up Saturday. The slugging outfielder had a double Monday and is 4-for-10 so far. "He brings an energy," Banister said. "He doesn't get cheated at the plate."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: RF Kole Calhoun (right calf soreness) was out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row. He had a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth. ... RHP Garrett Richards (recovering from left knee surgery) is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.
Rangers: RHP Kyuji Fujikawa, on the DL with a right groin strain, is scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday. ... RHP Tanner Scheppers is close to being activated from the disabled list (right ankle sprain) after three appearances in four games on a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco, including back-to-back Saturday and Sunday.
UP NEXT
Angels: The Angels go for their 11th win in their last 12 games in Texas when rookie right-hander Drew Rucinski makes his first major league start. He threw two scoreless innings in relief Saturday against Kansas City.
Rangers: Right-hander Nick Martinez (1-0), who had seven scoreless innings in his first start, pitches at home for the first time this season.
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