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Aybar, Angels complete sweep of Rangers

Sep 12, 2014 - 7:01 AM Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Erick Aybar hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim completed a three-game sweep with a 7-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

David Freese and Grant Green each drove in two runs and Kole Calhoun hit an RBI single for the Angels, who added to their MLB-best record with an eighth straight win.

Mike Morin (4-3) earned the win after recording four outs in relief of starter Cory Rasmus, who gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.

"We are playing good baseball right now and getting it done on all ends," said Calhoun. "Hopefully, we can keep this streak rolling."

Leonys Martin and J.P. Arencibia both homered and Rougned Odor also brought in a run for Texas, which has lost 12 of its last 13 games to the Angels.

Starter Nick Martinez (3-11) gave up four runs -- two earned -- on four hits across six frames in defeat.

"I saw nothing but positive tonight," Texas interim manager Tim Bogar said of Martinez. "He made a couple bad pitches in big situations, but for the most part he was pretty strong."

Martin started the scoring early with a blast to right for his seventh home run of the season to lead off the home first.

Howie Kendrick opened the second with a single to right for the Angels and came home two batters later on Aybar's two-run shot to right.

The Angels added two more runs in the third. Calhoun reached after his liner to center went off the glove of Martin in center field. Mike Trout was plunked and the runners moved up a base on Kendrick's groundout before scoring on Freese's base knock to center.

Calhoun walked and Trout was hit with a pitch for a second time in the fifth. Calhoun took third on Albert Pujols' flyout, but the runners were left stranded after Kendrick grounded into a double play.

Robbie Ross Jr. took over for Martinez in the seventh. Collin Cowgill hit a one-out single, moved to second on Ross' botched pickoff attempt and scored on Calhoun's grounder up the middle.

Texas got a run back in the bottom seventh after Arencibia stroked a homer to left off Fernando Salas.

In the eighth, Freese and Aybar both walked with one out. Tony Campana came on to pinch run for Freese and the two runners moved up a base on Alex Claudio's balk. Green then laced a two-run single into left for a 7-2 lead.

Odor's one-out single in the eight brought home Elvis Andrus, who doubled in the previous at-bat.

Game Notes

Kendrick extended to his hitting streak to eight games ... It is the Angels' first eight-game win streak since May 18-26, 2013 ... The Angels lead the season series, 13-3 ... Texas went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.