Rangers Complete Sweep Of Angels With 10-3 Win
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Adrian Beltre had a homer, three RBIs and scored three runs to help Texas beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-3 on Wednesday night and move the Rangers into a virtual tie with Oakland for the AL West lead.
Alexi Ogando (5-3) allowed two runs four hits over five innings to earn his first win in his last five starts, shrugging off a two-run homer Mike Trout hit in the first inning on his 22nd birthday. The victory was the right-hander's first since May 15 at Oakland.
The Rangers, who have won nine of 10, were a season-worst six games out of first place on July 28 after getting shut out for the second straight time at Cleveland.
Tommy Hanson (4-3) was charged with five runs, seven hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings following four straight no-decisions.
The Rangers, who had six stolen bases in their 8-3 win on Tuesday night, picked up right where they left off with a season-high seven steals -- tying the Angels' record for most allowed. Four of them came in the first inning against Tommy Hanson and batterymate Hank Conger -- including a double-steal by Leonys Martin and Elvis Andrus.
Mitch Moreland drove in the only run of the Rangers' hitless first inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly after an intentional walk to Beltre. But the Angels responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, as Kole Calhoun drew a leadoff walk and Trout followed with a drive to left-center for his 20th home run.
It was the straight year that Trout homered on his birthday. Last year at Oakland he became the fifth player in major league history to hit one on the day he turned 21, joining Ted Williams, Frank Robinson, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Heyward. The Angels' All-Star center fielder also robbed Craig Gentry of a home run in the fourth.
Gentry was easily trapped off first base in the second inning on Jurickson Profar's hit-and-run flyout to Martin in right field.
But in the third, the Rangers hustled themselves into three runs and grabbed a 4-2 lead.
Martin led off with a double, and Andrus just beat out a bunt single that Hanson fielded in front of the mound. Ian Kinsler followed with an RBI single, and Andrus scored when Beltre barely beat the relay to first from second baseman Grant Green on a potential double-play grounder to shortstop.
Hanson threw two wild pitches that inning, one of them before giving up Moreland's RBI single, then held his breath while left fielder Josh Hamilton caught Geovany Soto's bid for his first road home run of the season against the bullpen fence.
Beltre made it 7-2 in the sixth with his 25th homer, a two-run shot off demoted starter Joe Blanton, who has given up 25 this season.
NOTES: This is the first time Texas has had at least a share of first place since July 1, when the Rangers led Oakland by a half-game. ... The Rangers' franchise record for stolen bases is nine, set on April 20, 2010 at Boston. ... Martin and Andrus each stole three bases, with Andrus reaching the 30 mark for the fourth time in five big league seasons. Andrus has stolen 14 consecutive bases since June 25, when the Yankees' Chris Stewart threw him out at second with David Robertson on the mound. ... The Rangers have beaten the Angels a franchise-record seven straight times. ... The Rangers are 34-1 when scoring more than five runs.
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