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Ellis blasts three-run shot as A's top Angels

Sep 5, 2007 - 11:35 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Garret Anderson made history, but Mark Ellis trumped him for the Oakland Athletics.

Ellis belted a crucial three-run homer as the Athletics salvaged the finale of a three-game set against Anderson and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with a 6-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon.

Joe Blanton (12-9) hurled eight solid innings and Donnie Murphy also homered for the Athletics (69-72), who snapped a two-game losing streak. The Athletics, however, are just playing out the string - 14 games behind the Angels (82-57) in the American League West.

"We just want to reach our goal right now, which is to win as many games as we can from here on out and compete," Oakland manager Bob Geren said.

Anaheim is seven games ahead of the second-place Seattle Mariners (74-63) in the division. The Mariners play the finale of their three-game set with the New York Yankees later Wednesday night.

"Those guys (the A's) always play us tough and it's always a battle when we face them," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We just have to keep on winning games and hope to get ready for the postseason."

Anderson matched a franchise record by recording an RBI in 10 straight games. The veteran, who also hit a go-ahead two-run homer on Tuesday, tied the previous record held by Fred Lynn (1984) and Wally Joyner (1986).

"He's one of those guys who can carry a team on his back for stretches at a time when he's swinging the way he his right now," Anaheim second baseman Howie Kendrick said of Anderson.

He opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first, and Maicer Izturis added a sacrifice fly to give the Angels an early two-run advantage.

"It seems like (Anderson's) hitting the ball hard every time he makes contact," Scioscia said.

But it was Ellis who came up with the game's biggest hit to cap a three-run, fourth-inning rally.

"It was a big home run for me to get the lead and a big home run for him (Ellis) personally," Blanton said.

Marco Scutaro was issued a leadoff walk and, after Mike Piazza struck out, Jack Cust singled - setting up Ellis' deep blast to left off Angels starter Joe Saunders (7-3).

"Feels good and I waited a long time to square a ball up and hit another home run," Ellis said. "I have felt good the past few days by putting good swings together."

Oakland added two insurance runs in the seventh thanks to Murphy, who led off the frame with a solo shot. Ellis added an RBI single to give Oakland a 5-2 lead.

"This was a good win for us today, to come in here and beat them once and avoid the sweep," Ellis said.

Murphy added an RBI single in the eighth to cap the scoring.

Blanton yielded two runs and six hits while striking out three and walking one. Huston Street pitched the ninth in a non-save situation.

"I just threw more sliders after the first inning when I got into trouble," Blanton said. "I know to beat them I have to throw my 'A' game - and today I felt like I did that."

Saunders was effective early but picked up the loss after allowing four runs and seven hits in six-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two en route to his third loss in as many outings.

"I felt good early on, but then I was missing with my location and leaving pitches up in the zone," Saunders said. "I have some mechanics I want to work on so I can turn this around."

The Angels have lost three of their last five games.

"We are playing the consistent ball we were playing a couple weeks ago, so we have a good team coming in here and we just need to turn it around," Scioscia said.