• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Angels break out offensively as Saunders stymies Athletics

Sep 19, 2008 - 3:01 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- After being held to just three runs in their first two games against the Oakland Athletics, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim doubled that total in the series finale.

Kendry Morales, Mike Napoli and Brandon Wood hit consecutive home runs off Keith Foulke in the seventh inning and the Angels hung on for a 6-4 victory over the Athletics on Thursday afternoon.

"It just happened," Napoli said. "We had the lead already and Kendry came up and put a good swing on a pitch. I came up and was just trying to drive a ball, and Woody put a good swing on a pitch and we happened to hit back-to-back-to-back."

Joe Saunders (16-7) pitched seven scoreless innings en route to winning his second consecutive decision as the Angels avoided a three-game sweep. The lefthander scattered six hits and three walks with four strikeouts to improve to 10-3 on the road.

"You never want to get swept, whether you're away or at home, and this is a time where they always play us good," Saunders said. "I needed to throw up as many zeros as I could for as long as I could, and that's what I tried to do because we need to win. We're still trying to get that best record and every win is still important to us."

The Angels, who already have clinched the American League West, are aiming to ensure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Anaheim (93-59) extended its lead for best record in the AL to 2 1/2 games over the Tampa Bay Rays (90-61), who dropped an 11-8 decision to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

"We didn't need anymore from Joe," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think he's stretched out to where he could have easily gone eight and maybe finished that game, but we don't need that now and probably need him to rest up a little more than we do need him to go pushing it two more innings."

Anaheim took the lead in the first inning on a single by Mark Teixeira that plated Reggie Willits, who led off the game with a walk.

In the third, the Angels added two more runs off Josh Outman (1-1). Teixeira drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a single by Torii Hunter before scoring on Robb Quinlan's base hit.

After Morales popped out to left, the Angels engineered a delayed double steal to perfection, stretching their lead to 3-0. Quinlan drew the throw to second, and Hunter scored before second baseman Cliff Pennington realized he was racing home from third.

Outman lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits in his second career start.

"I was throwing strikes early in the count, but then I was a little erratic later on probably trying to do too much with my fastball," Outman said. "And then when I wasn't missing out of the strike zone, I was kind of missing my spots in the zone, too, and that led to a lot of the hits."

Oakland rallied to score four runs in the ninth, loading the bases with none out on a hit batsman and a pair of walks before an infield single by Carlos Gonzalez got the A's on the scoreboard.

Francisco Rodriguez came on and walked pinch hitter Jack Cust to bring the tying run to the plate. Rookie Aaron Cunningham drove in another run with a fielder's choice and Kurt Suzuki delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-4.

But Rodriguez induced a groundout by Ryan Sweeney, securing his 59th save.

"They always battle, and until you make the last out, they continue pushing and pushing," Rodriguez said. "They're not going to give up. Down 6-0 in the ninth inning, they're going to try and put people on base, and we've got to stop them."