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Angels wrap up set with rival A's

May 26, 2011 - 2:48 PM (Sports Network) - Behind Torii Hunter's resurgent bat, the Los Angeles Angels take aim at a series victory over the Oakland Athletics this afternoon in the finale of a four-game set in Anaheim.

Hunter and Alberto Callaspo ripped back-to-back homers off A's starter Trevor Cahill in the fifth inning of Wednesday's matchup, leading the Angels to a 4-1 victory. It marked the sixth game in a row for Hunter with an RBI, with the outfielder driving in eight in that span.

The 35-year-old Hunter is batting .409 (9-for-22) over his last six games after managing just one hit in his previous 24 at-bats.

"I'm just trying to settle in and focus," Hunter said. "Cahill is one of the best pitchers in the American League. We were able to capitalize on a couple of his mistakes. He doesn't make many."

Ervin Santana threw six innings of one-run ball for the Angels, who have won four of six and sit a half-game behind the Rangers for first place in the American League West. The Athletics are three games back of Texas.

Coco Crisp brought in the lone run for Oakland, which has dropped seven of its last eight games, while Cahill allowed all four runs -- three earned -- in six innings of work to fall to 6-2.

The A's have been held to just a single run or less in five of their last seven games, batting .214 as a team in that span.

Oakland's Brett Anderson and Joel Pineiro of Los Angeles will square off this afternoon in a rematch of a May 16 contest in which neither starter factored into the decision of the Athletics' 5-4 victory in extra innings. Anderson allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven, and Pineiro was charged with three runs over seven innings.

Anderson's no-decision is part of his current five-start winless stretch that has seen him go 0-3 with a 5.04 earned run average since his last victory on April 24. Following his outing versus the Angels, Anderson took the loss in San Francisco on Saturday despite allowing just one first-inning run over his five-frame outing.

"You don't want to ever give up a run in the first inning," Anderson told Oakland's website. "You walk the leadoff guy and he comes around to score, and it's kind of unfortunate, but you have to put that behind you."

The 23-year-old is 2-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 10 starts this season and 0-2 with a 4.55 ERA in five career starts versus the Angels.

Pineiro, meanwhile, picked up his second straight no-decision on Saturday versus the Braves. The right-hander gave up season highs of four runs and 11 hits over 6 2/3 innings, with all four runs allowed coming in the seventh inning. The big blow came on a three-run homer.

"The only slider I hung was the home run. It seemed like all the pitches I left up were in that one inning, and they made me pay for it," said Pineiro.

Pineiro, 32, is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA and is still sitting on 99 career wins. He is 9-8 with a 4.12 ERA lifetime when facing Oakland.

Oakland has won four of six over Los Angeles since a six-game series losing streak, but has dropped 10 of its last 12 at Angel Stadium.