The Texas Rangers expand their lead in the AL West to 7 games with another win over the Los Angeles Angels, 4-3.
C.J. Wilson(12-5) and Ervin Santana(9-9) threw two separate gems of games but the Rangers’ hitters came threw in the 8th inning with the bases loaded.
Going into the 8th inning, the Rangers were yet to take a lead in the game as the Angels jumped ahead in the 1st inning but with the bases loaded, Ian Kinsler came through to give the Rangers the lead.
Nelson Cruz led the inning off by earning a walk off Santana followed by Mike Napoli’s second double(19) of the game. Santana then intentionally walked Mitch Moreland to load the bases up with no outs.
Santana almost got out of the inning by striking out Yorvit Torrealba and Endy Chavez for only his third and fourth strikeouts of the game. But on a 2-2 pitch, Ian Kinsler reached out to send a blooper into right field for a 2 RBI single and the lead.
Before Kinsler’s single in the 8th, Ian was 0 for 4 in the game.
C.J. Wilson threw 110 pitches throughout 7 innings of work while striking out 6 Angels’ batters and only allowed 1 walk to Eric Aybar in the 7th.
The Angles scored their only runs against Wilson in the 1st inning after Peter Bourjos hit a triple to deep center field. Bourjos then came home on a RBI groundout to second by Howie Kendrick.
The Angels’ second run was unearned as Torii Hunter reached first base off a throwing error on Elvis Andrus. Mark Trumbo drove in Hunter with a RBI double.
After the Angels scoring in the 1st inning, Wilson didn’t allow another Angels’ runner to go past first base and sat down the Angels’ hitters in order in the second, fourth, and fifth innings.
It was Andrus’s turn in the 5th inning to benefit from an error as Eric Aybar sky rocketed a throw to first that allowed Andrus to go to second. Josh Hamilton then put Texas on the board with a RBI single up the middle with 1 out.
Mitch Moreland tied everything up in the top of the 6th inning with his 14th homerun of the season off a 2-0 pitch from Santana to center field.
Texas reliever Koji Uehara came in to take over the 8th inning but after 2 quick outs gave up a solo shot to left center field to Kendrick to bring the Angels within one.
Feliz picked up his 24th save of the year as he came up into the 9th with a 1 run lead. Trumbo led the 9th off with a single but Feliz came back to get Vernon Wells and Alberto Callaspo to groundout. Feliz then got Aybar to pop up to swallow right field to seal the win.
Extra Extra: Josh Hamilton stole his 7th base of the season in the 3rd inning…Yorvit Torrealba picked off Maicer Izturis stealing second in the 7th.