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Angels outlast Rangers in slugfest

Sep 20, 2008 - 5:08 AM By Randy Krone PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim proved why they are the best team in the American League West.

Despite blowing a seven-run lead, the Angels battled back to defeat the Texas Rangers, 15-13, on Friday in a game that featured 41 hits.

Scoring in each of the first five innings, the Angels pounded out a season-high 22 hits and took advantage of a pitching staff that surrendered double digits in runs for a major league-leading 26th time in 2008.

"That was something," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "This park is obviously hitter-friendly and you have to make pitches. The ball can really take off here, and if you don't make the pitch, the scoreboard is going to tell you about it."



Garret Anderson collected four hits and Torii Hunter added a home run and four RBI. Mark Teixeira, Erick Aybar and Mike Napoli chipped in with three hits apiece.

"That's baseball you know. It can be a crazy game and you saw it out there tonight," Aybar said.

Former Ranger Darren Oliver (6-1) notched his 100th career win despite allowing two runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Hunter started the slugfest in the first inning with a three-run homer - his 20th of the season - off Matt Harrison.

The Angels quickly added two runs in the second on back-to-back RBI doubles by Aybar and Anderson before taking a 7-0 lead on a solo home runs by Kendry Morales and Napoli, who finished a single shy of the cycle.

"I feel like I'm starting to figure it out and get in a bit of a groove," Napoli said. "It was a real slugfest tonight and I was aware of being a single short of the cycle, but it's more important that we got the win."



The Rangers took the lead with nine runs in the third off Jon Garland, who allowed 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings. But the Angels answered with a run in the fourth and five in the fifth.

The fifth-inning outburst was highlighted by a two-run double by Teixeira and RBI singles from Aybar and Gary Matthews Jr.

"I've been feeling good in the batting cage and it transferred on to the field tonight. I was patient, looking for good pitches and was able to hit what they threw tonight," Aybar said.



The Angels added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to seal the win.

"We just couldn't stop them, we just couldn't hold off the onslaught," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

The combined 41 hits was a season-high for an American League game.

Josh Hamilton went 4-for-5 for the Rangers, who banged out 19 hits. Hamilton is hitting .426 (26-for-61) in September to raise his average to .307.

Texas' Milton Bradley was the only starter not to get a hit, going 0-for-5 while striking out four times.

Jamey Wright (7-7) took the loss, allowing five runs and six hits in one inning.