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Kotchman, Weaver lead Angels over Rangers

May 14, 2007 - 11:24 PM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Kevin Millwood came off the disabled list just in time to make his start on Monday. By the second inning, he again was hobbling off the mound.

Millwood was roughed up in his return as the Texas Rangers dropped a 7-2 decision to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Jered Weaver turned in his finest outing of the season for the Angels, who have taken six of seven games from the Rangers this season.

Hours after being activated from the 15-day disabled list, Millwood (2-3) aggravated his ailing left hamstring in the second inning. The veteran righthander originally suffered a left hamstring strain April 28 against the Toronto Blue Jays and was placed on the DL a week later.

"We don't know the extent of the injury right now," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "We know it is his hamstring. We'll know more tomorrow. We were looking for him to give us some innings today, but we had to piece the rest of the game together."

Millwood labored through 1 2/3 innings before walking gingerly off the mound with team medical personnel. He yielded four runs, three hits and three walks without a strikeout.

"I slipped during the exit to the first batter of the game. It was kind of sore, I went in and wrapped it up after the first inning," Millwood said. "In the second inning, I just couldn't get out over my front leg and that's not an easy way to pitch."

Anaheim jumped on Millwood early, loading the bases in the first with a single and a pair of walks. Casey Kotchman cleared the bases with his second career grand slam into the stands in deep right field.

Kotchman entered the game 5-for-9 over the last two contests. The 24-year-old first baseman drew three walks Monday following his grand slam, scoring another run in the third.

"Casey has been trying to do things that are not his strength," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's been consumed with trying to drive the ball instead of just letting it happen. His game is hitting the ball foul line to foul line. I like the fact that he followed the grand slam with three walks. He had a terrific day."

"The three walks, that's more my role on the team, to get on base," Kotchman said. "That's what's expected of me."

Kotchman's production was all Weaver needed. The second-year righthander surrendered one run and six hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking two in beating Texas for a second time this season.

"That's the best I've felt all year. Everything was consistent," Weaver said of his longest outing of the year. "I feel like I'm back to normal."

The Angels added a pair of runs in the third on an RBI double by Mike Napoli and rookie Tommy Murphy's two-run single.

"These kids really did a lot today and that's good to see," Scioscia said. "You have to play well even when you're banged up if we want to play the game we need to, and we feel we're a championship-caliber club."

Anaheim All-Star Vladimir Guerrero, who has hit in 56 of his 60 career games against the Rangers, went hitless in four at-bats and left four runners on base.

Texas' lone run off Weaver came on Hank Blalock's solo blast down the right field line in the fourth frame, his fourth homer of the season. The Rangers added a run in the ninth off reliever Darren Oliver, when Brad Wilkerson lifted his 1-1 offering over the wall in right for his sixth homer.

Sammy Sosa, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, was ejected after striking out to end the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

The Rangers snapped a five-game slide to Anaheim on Sunday when Nelson Cruz hit a walkoff homer against Scot Shields in a 7-6 victory.

As the Rangers head out on a six-game road trip to Tampa Bay and Houston, Washington said he remains optimistic in his last-place club.

"I'm not frustrated. I know this is a long year," Washington said. "As long as you believe and keep working hard, things will work out."