Rangers Lose To Angels
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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Los Angeles Angels were more than pleased to take a third straight game from the Texas Rangers but even more relieved to see right-handed pitcher Jered Weaver pitch effectively and with no back issues.
Weaver, who came out of his last start with back stiffness, pitched seven strong innings in the Angels’ 5-2 victory over the Rangers on Saturday night.
Weaver was aided by a four-run sixth inning that was keyed by catcher Hank Conger’s two-run double and a run-scoring single by second baseman Howie Kendrick, who was 3-for-4 on his 31st birthday.
Los Angeles, winners of 18 of its last 22 games, sent nine hitters to the plate in the sixth.
The Angels have scored four or more runs in an inning 11 times in the last 19 games.
Weaver retired 12 of the last 14 hitters he faced after giving up two runs in the second inning and allowing two baserunners in the third.
“Everything felt great,” Weaver said of his back. “I didn’t feel restricted. Found myself in a little trouble in the first couple of innings, but I was able to make pitches when I needed to.
“They gave me a little cushion (in the sixth) to go back out there; those guys picked me up.”
Angels manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher kept a close eye on their pitcher. Scioscia paid
Weaver a visit in the seventh inning after Texas second baseman Rougned Odor’s leadoff single to make sure everything was OK.
Weaver stayed in and retired the next three hitters.
“He was adamant that he felt good,” Scioscia said. “He felt good the whole way. He got over 100 pitches. It was where we wanted him to go.”
Right-hander Joe Smith picked up his 14th save by striking out two of the three hitters he faced in the bottom of the ninth.
Right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-2) took the loss for Texas (38-55), which has lost 21 of its past 24 games. Mikolas surrendered five runs (four earned) and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Mikolas held the Angels (56-37) in check, but, unlike Weaver, he couldn’t make the pitches to get out of the sixth unharmed.
Four of the first five hitters in the inning — first baseman Albert Pujols, designated hitter Josh Hamilton, Kendrick and David Freese, who drove in Hamilton — reached base before Conger’s at-bat.
“Some pretty good hitters got him there in the sixth inning,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “You have to figure out a way to make pitches to minimize the damage. I’m not saying that kid can’t give up runs, but you minimize the damage.”
Conger was 2-for-3 with two doubles. Pujols, who drove in a run in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third (his 28th RBI in his last 27 games), was 1-for-4. Pujols is hitting .339 during that span.
Odor was 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the second inning for the Rangers, who committed an error in a season-high fifth straight game. Designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo also had an RBI.
Texas jumped out with two runs and two hits in the second inning. Odor’s double drove in Carlos Pena, who doubled to begin the inning, and Choo’s groundout to first scored catcher Robinson Chirinos.
The Angels loaded the bases with one out in the third, but Mikolas held them to one run. Pujols’ sacrifice fly scored Conger.
The Rangers were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position a day after being shutout.
“We had … chances to drive in a run and we didn’t do it besides the two we got,” Washington said. “We just haven’t mustered any offense the past two days.”
