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Weaver tosses gem, Angels top Orioles

Jul 8, 2012 - 5:08 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Angels ace Jered Weaver earned his fourth win in a row since coming off the disabled list last month, never facing more than four batters in eight innings Saturday night in a 3-0 win over the Orioles.

Weaver (10-1) struck out five, gave up just three hits and a walk and will go into the All-Star break with an ERA under 2.00, dropping it to 1.96 for the season with another sparkling performance.

He has given up just two runs since being activated two weeks ago and has won his last five decisions dating back to May 18, including two against the O's in 11 days.

Howie Kendrick, Torii Hunter and Kendrys Morales drove in runs for the Angels, who have two wins in the four-game series, which ends Sunday. They have beaten the Orioles in six of their eight meetings this season.

Jason Hammel (8-5) suffered his third straight loss -- including two to the Angels -- after allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

The Angels, despite a slow start by the offense, beat the O's for the sixth time in eight meetings this season.

"I thought Jason (Hammel) was great. The other guy was a little bit better," said O's manager Buck Showalter. "Weaver is pretty good. We're not the only ones he's picking on."

The Orioles had two hits through three innings but the Angels didn't get their first until Bobby Wilson's leadoff single in the bottom of the third.

Mark Trumbo started the fourth with a base hit for the Angels and hustled to second when Xavier Avery misplayed the ball in left field. Trumbo took third on Alberto Callaspo's fly out and scored on Kendrick's single to make it 1-0.

Later, the Angels pushed their lead to 3-0 and chased Hammel from the game in the seventh.

Mike Trout scored the first run of the inning after reaching on a fielder's choice and racing home on Hunter's double to right. After Hammel intentionally walked Albert Pujols, Morales hit an RBI single to knock the Orioles starter from the game.

Meanwhile, Weaver coasted. He gave up a two-out double to Wilson Betemit in the second inning and a leadoff single to Robert Andino in the third but didn't allow another hit until Jim Thome's one-out single in the seventh.

In his ninth start since throwing a no-hitter against the Twins on May 2, Weaver faced the minimum in five of his eight innings.

Wilson, the catcher, gunned down Andino trying to steal second base in the third, and Weaver thought he called a pretty good game, too.

"Bobby was throwing down the right fingers," said Weaver. "I got away with some pitches, but the defense did the rest. We're showing everybody the kind of baseball we can play."

Scott Downs threw a 1-2-3 ninth to back Weaver and earn his eighth save of the season.

Game Notes

Weaver beat Hammel and the Orioles on June 27, a 13-1 Angels win...The Orioles are 3-3 on a seven-game road trip that ends Sunday...Weaver is 6-3 lifetime against Baltimore with four straight wins. The Angels are 12-3 in his starts this season...Hammel is 0-3 lifetime against the Angels.