Rangers Beat Angels
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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Persistence provided a much-needed dividend for the Texas Rangers in the final game of their first extended road trip this season.
Center fielder Leonys Martin hit his first home run of the season, leading a two-run rally in the 11th inning that gave the Texas Rangers a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at Angel Stadium.
The Rangers used their first one-run victory and extra-inning win of the season to end a three-game losing streak that accentuated a stretch of five losses in six games during an eight-game trip extending over 10 days.
“Today was huge for us,” said Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland, who went 3-for-5 with a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. “Those tight games are always good for teams, win or lose, because all the good teams are going to find ways to win those games.”
Martin began the top of 11th by hitting a 91 mph fastball from left-hander Jose Alvarez (0-1) into the right field bleachers. Third baseman Adam Rosales walked two outs later, took third base on Moreland’s single and scored when Angels shortstop Erick Aybar bobbled a ground ball from shortstop Elvis Andrus for an error.
“He’s been swinging the bat well,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said about Martin, the leadoff hitter who experienced early trouble with discipline at the plate.
“Early on, it was the chasing, the anxiety at the plate,” Banister said. “He was a
little over-aggressive, so we unplugged him for a couple of games. Now, he’s calming that down. He’s controlling the at-bat and controlling the strike zone better for himself.”
Over his past eight games, Martin is batting .343 (12-for-35) with five RBIs, a home run, three doubles and three walks.
The Angels narrowed the deficit to one run when designated hitter Albert Pujols, who hit a one-out double, came home on a two-out single by shortstop Erick Aybar. But right-hander Neftali Feliz struck out first baseman Grant Green to end the game.
Feliz (1-1) struck out four in two innings of relief while allowing a run, two hits and a walk.
Texas forged a 3-3 tie with two outs in the top of the ninth after the Angels took a 3-2 lead in the previous half-inning. Designated hitter Prince Fielder lined a single off right-handed reliever Joe Smith before being replaced by pinch runner Delino DeShields, who took second base on a single by third baseman Adrian Beltre and scored when Moreland lined a single over the glove of second baseman Johnny Giavotella.
Los Angeles broke a 2-2 tie with one out in the bottom of the eighth on Giavotella’s bloop single with the bases loaded that brought home pinch runner Green. The bases remained loaded with right fielder Kole Calhoun and center fielder Mike Trout coming to bat. However, right-handed reliever Shawn Tolleson struck out Calhoun, then induced Trout to ground out to silence the rally.
C.J. Cron, who started for Los Angeles at first base, went 4-for-4 with a double, while Calhoun went 3-for-6 to lead the Angels’ 15-hit attack that tied a season high.
Rangers starter Nick Martinez threw six shutout innings to lower his earned-run average to 0.35, the major leagues’ best. Martinez allowed seven hits and two walks, hit one batter and struck out two.
Angels starter Hector Santiago gave up two runs (one earned) in 5 1/3 innings but walked a career-high six (one intentionally) while striking out five and throwing a season-high 109 pitches. In his past 18 1/3 innings, the left-hander has amassed 18 strikeouts and permitted only three earned runs.
“Hector got himself into trouble and he got himself out of trouble,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “His command was an issue. His stuff looked good. It’s just that when that release point left him, he paid a price for it in his pitch count.”
Trout hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run drive in the bottom of the seventh that tied the score at 2-2.
“All in all, we had some good at-bats,” Scioscia said. “We hit the ball hard all day. We’ve just got nothing to show for it.”
Banister was ejected in the seventh for arguing a call that a video replay overturned. Andrus his a foul ball down the right field line that Calhoun tried to catch while a fan reach over the railing. First base umpire Jim Reynolds ruled the play dead, but Scioscia asked for a replay that showed fan interference, and Andrus was ruled out. The ejection was Banister’s first as a major league manager.
