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Santiago goes 7 innings in Angels' 13-0 win at Texas

Jul 5, 2015 - 5:26 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) C.J. Cron and the Los Angeles Angels finally gave Hector Santiago plenty of run support.

Santiago responded with another superb outing at Texas.

Cron had three hits with a career-high six RBIs and the Angels had a season-high 17 hits while Santiago threw seven innings in their 13-0 victory over the Rangers on Saturday night.

''All around, it was great. And we kept pounding them,'' Santiago said. ''After the sixth, it was like `All right, just go out there and throw strikes. Let them hit it to our guys and let our guys play defense.' ... Just all around, it was a good game.''

Santiago (5-4) scattered three hits and struck out three with one walk, improving to 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in eight career games (six starts) at Texas.

Even with his 2.40 ERA this season, the left-hander hadn't won since May 29. He left after 104 pitches with a 13-0 lead - matching the number of runs the Angels scored combined while he was still on the mound his previous seven starts.

''Hector had nice leeway and pitched well with the lead,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ''He still went after them but he made pitches.''

Santiago has five no-decisions this season in starts when he allowed one or no earned runs, including his previous two games. His 13 such games since the start of 2014 are the most in the majors.

Cron put the Angels ahead 1-0 when he had their fourth consecutive single to start the second inning against Wandy Rodriguez (5-4).

After a sac fly an inning later, Cron's three-run homer in the sixth made it 11-0 and he had an RBI double in the eighth. Cron had only eight RBIs in his first 39 games this season.

Kole Calhoun had a solo homer and sacrifice fly for the Angels, who have won seven of their last nine games.

Los Angeles matched its largest winning margin this season, and had two hits more than the previous night in an 8-2 series-opening win.

''We created a lot of good situations, and when guys got on into scoring position, we were hitting the ball,'' Scioscia said. ''It all added up to an incredible offensive night.''

It was the most lopsided loss this season for Texas, which had its biggest shutout loss since another 13-0 setback to Oakland in June 2003.

''We haven't swung the bats the way we liked too. ... We didn't score runs. We pitched poorly,'' frustrated Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ''We haven't played the way we want to play the first two games, not at all.''

Rodriguez is 0-4 with a 7.42 ERA in his six home starts for Texas. Like the Rangers, the 36-year-old lefty is better on the road - he's 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA in eight starts away from their ballpark.

''I'm always winning on the road. I want to win over here, too, so I try every time to do the best I can. I don't know,'' Rodriguez said. ''I think it's the mound when I'm landing I don't feel comfortable. That's the only thing. I feel good.''

ANGELS GOOD IN TEXAS, RANGERS BAD

Los Angeles has won 13 of its last 15 games in Texas since the start of the 2014 season. The Rangers have lost five consecutive games at home overall, and six of eight, to drop to 15-21 in their ballpark this year. Texas' 26-20 road record is second-best in the majors.

PLENTY OF HITS

A night after his first career five-hit game, Erick Aybar went 3 for 4 for Los Angeles. Nine Angels had hits and the only starter without one was Mike Trout, who was 0 for 3 but reached base twice - on a walk and after being hit by a pitch.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (left hip inflammation) threw more than 50 pitches in a bullpen session without any issues.

Rangers: LF Josh Hamilton was out of the lineup as planned after consecutive games. Banister said Hamilton, who this week came off the DL after a month because of a strained left hamstring, had general lower body soreness. ... OF Delino DeShields (left hamstring strain) said he feels ''pretty normal'' and has had no issues during his rehab assignment. He worked out with the Rangers before the game.

UP NEXT

Angels LHP C.J. Wilson (6-6) vs. Texas RHP Colby Lewis (8-3) in a matchup of starters who were both in the Rangers rotation for their 2010 and 2011 World Series appearances. Wilson is 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA in 10 career starts against Texas since going to Los Angeles as a free agent after the 2011 season.