Rangers Beat Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Since coming to the American League at last year’s trading deadline, Cole Hamels has been the Texas Rangers’ closest thing to guaranteed victory.
Hamels conceded just one run and three hits in six innings to record his ninth successive victory and lead the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in front of 38,106 at Angel Stadium.
Not since his second start for the Rangers on Aug. 7 has Hamels lost.
“He’s a complete pro on the mound,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “He seems to get stronger as he goes through the game. His stuff starts to sharpen up. When he’s got his command, he throws the ball in zones where batters don’t get a good barrel on it.”
Hamels (2-0) induced 12 groundouts, including six on three double plays, and finished with two walks and four strikeouts in establishing a personal best for successive wins. The left-hander had won eight straight from April 15 to May 28, 2012 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Anytime you can vary your speeds and mix different sides of the
plate, that’s going to help eliminate zones hitters can pick up and go after,” Hamels said. “It keeps them guessing the whole time.”
Kenny Rogers was the last Rangers starting pitcher to win nine consecutive games. Rogers accomplished the feat between April 27-June 17, 2005.
Hamels and three relievers retired 10 of the final 11 Angels they faced, with right-hander Shawn Tolleson getting his second save.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run, as the Rangers amassed 10 hits.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (0-2) took the loss. Richards, whose fastball reached 98 mph, struck out six and walked one in 6 2/3 innings but allowed four runs (two earned) and eight hits as the Angels sustained their fifth loss in six games.
“It’s a long season,” Richards said. “We’ve started out slow in the last few years but we’ve been right there in it at the end,” Richards said. “We’ve got a lot of talent in this locker room. Once everyone starts clicking, it’s going to be fun.”
Beltre broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth by propelling a 95 mph fastball from Richards over the center-field fence for his first home run of the season and the 414th of his career. Center fielder Mike Trout grabbed the top of the fence with both hands and tried to make a backhanded catch but the ball sailed out of his reach.
Beltre thus ties Darrell Evans for 49th place in career homers.
The visitors had a chance to expand the lead later in the inning when Elvis Andrus, who hit a two-out single, tried to score on Ryan Rua’s double to left-center field. But shortstop Andrelton Simmons, after catching left fielder Craig Gentry’s throw, threw Andrus out at the plate.
Banister challenged home-plate umpire Mark Carlson’s call, but video replay upheld Carlson’s decision.
Los Angeles put the potential tying run in scoring position when Yunel Escobar walked and Gentry hit a high chopper down the third-base line with one out in the bottom of the sixth. But Trout hit into a fielder’s choice that eliminated Escobar at third base, and Albert Pujols popped out to end the threat.
Texas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Delino DeShields began the game with a double down the left-field line, took third base when Rougned Odor lined out to right fielder Kole Calhoun and scored on Prince Fielder’s single to center field.
But Los Angeles retaliated in the bottom of the inning with a run. Escobar hit a leadoff single and moved to second when Gentry walked. After both runners moved into scoring position when Trout grounded out, Pujols hit into a fielder’s choice that brought Escobar home.
When Escobar scored, Pujols’ registered the 1,700th RBI of his career and moved past Jim Thome into 24th place all-time.
The Rangers added two unearned runs in the seventh to chase Richards. Andrus reached second base when third baseman Escobar threw nonchalantly past first baseman C.J. Cron. One out later, Andrus scored on Bryan Holaday’s double down the left-field line, and Holaday came home on Odor’s line-drive single with two outs.
Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos left the game in the fifth inning after breaking his right forearm when a pitch at which he swung for a strike hit him.
