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Guerrero's two home runs propel Angels to victory

Sep 12, 2007 - 3:53 AM By Rich Dubroff PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Vladimir Guerrero cracked a pair of two-run home runs to propel the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 10-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Angels starter Joe Saunders (8-3) pitched five innings, allowing four runs and 10 hits. The lefthander struck out three and walked one, earning his first win since August 19 against the Boston Red Sox.

The win cut the Angels (85-59) magic number to 11 to clinch the American League West Division. They are nine games in front of the Seattle Mariners (75-67).

"Both teams had a lot of offense. "We needed it," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said.

Guerrero, who was the Angels' designated hitter after missing the past four games with an inflamed right triceps, launched his 23rd home run of the season to center in the third inning, capping off a five-run third inning.

He drilled his second home run of the night into the Los Angeles bullpen off Fernando Cabrera, his 24th of the season, to give the Angels an 8-4 lead in the seventh. It was the 33rd multi-home run game of Guerrero's career.

"He swung the bat great tonight," Scioscia said. "Losing (Guerrero) out of the lineup for that length of time - you have to be deep enough to absorb it."

Howie Kendrick began the third-inning rally with a leadoff double to right off Orioles starter Victor Santos. Kendrick advanced to third on Jeff Mathis' single and scored on Reggie Willits' base hit. Chone Figgins hit a ground-rule double to left to score Mathis and Willits scored on Orlando Cabrera's sacrifice fly. Guerrero followed with his first blast of the game.

"I've seen Vlad hit a lot of long home runs," Willits said. "They all go a long ways when he hits them."

Santos (0-1), whom the Orioles purchased from the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, was finished after five runs and 2 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old righthander surrendered seven hits while striking out one.

This was the sixth consecutive game where an Orioles starter lasted five or fewer innings.

"I think it's beyond concern," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "It's just been a fact that we've lived with for far too long."

After Figgins' RBI double gave the Angels a 6-1 lead in the fourth, Kevin Millar hit his 16th home run of the season - a two-run blast - in the bottom of the inning to pull the Orioles back within three.

The Orioles got runners on second and third with one out in the fifth, but got only one run when Nick Markakis drove in Tike Redmond on a fielder's choice.

Baltimore opened the scoring in the second inning when Millar led off with a double and moved to third on Aubrey Huff's single. Ramon Hernandez bounced into a double play, scoring Millar to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

The loss secured a 10th straight losing season for Baltimore. They've now lost five of their last six games and 17 of their last 20.

"We're going out there and doing the best we can," Millar said. "Sometimes, we're just outmanned." Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. left the game in the third inning with a sprained right ankle. He'll be re-evaluated in several days.

"I thought I broke it," Matthews said. "I thought I wouldn't be able to play in the playoffs."