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Guerrero homers in first game back, Angels beat Os

Jul 6, 2009 - 12:01 AM By SOLANGE REYNER Associated Press Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif.(AP) -- Mike Scioscia would prefer the Angels avoid comeback wins.

But he'll take them.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a tying two-run homer in his first game back in right field, and the Los Angeles Angels took advantage of a wild Baltimore Orioles bullpen to rally for a 9-6 win Sunday.

"It's not always a good position to be in, but this series we've gotten down a couple of times and were able to bounce back and get back into the game," Scioscia said.

Not just this series. The comeback win was the 23rd this season.

Guerrero, who made his first appearance in the outfield after missing 35 games with a torn pectoral muscle, hit home runs in back-to-back games for the first time since July 19-20 last year when he faced the Boston Red Sox.

"Vlad looked strong. He got good jumps. Made a couple of throws and showed some arm strength, so that was a good day," Scioscia said.

After Guerrero's homer to left tied it at 5 in the fifth, Matt Wieters homered to give the Orioles the lead in the sixth. But Howie Kendrick scored on a double by Erick Aybar to make it 6-all in the bottom half.

The Angels took control in the seventh with three runs off Matt Albers (1-3).

Bobby Abreu walked, Torii Hunter doubled then Albers walked three straight batters - Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Mike Napoli - to give Los Angeles an 8-6 lead.

"Our offense - we're confident right now and we feel like we can score runs at any time," Napoli said. "It shows today, being patient and getting people on base puts pressure on the other team."

One batter later, Kendry Morales added a run with a sacrifice fly.

"You score six runs and you think you're going to win. It just didn't happen," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We had leads in the game and couldn't hold the leads."

Darren Oliver (3-0) worked 1 1-3 innings for the win.

Brian Fuentes, a 2009 All-Star, struck out two in one inning of work for his league-leading 24th save.

The Angels' bullpen, stingy as of late, bailed out starter Joe Saunders.

Saunders labored through 5 1-3 innings, giving up six runs - five earned - on seven hits. Two of those hits were home runs, a stat that has inflated lately for the lefty - he has given up 10 in his last five starts.

What to do to limit them?

"You tell me," Saunders said. "The way to not give up home runs is to get ahead of hitters, to really get them off balance. I haven't been doing that lately and they've been making me pay for it. I have to make an adjustment and keep the damn ball down."

Those runs didn't put a damper on the outcome, though.

"I'm proud of the boys, the hitters really picked me up," Saunders said.

They've been picking things up in the last 22 games, using a power surge to help the Angels to a 16-6 record. With Sunday's win, they posted 35 home runs and 45 doubles in that time span.

The Orioles scored runs in the first, third, fourth and sixth, with Roberts driving in three runs - including a leadoff homer in the first.

For the second straight game, Baltimore held the lead, but squandered it. This time the Angels got to starter Rich Hill.

Hill gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings against Los Angeles, which is 9-4 in its last 13 home games.

"I thought I pitched well, but I made some bad 0-2 and 1-2 pitches and gave up some hits. That shouldn't happen," Hill said. "I don't look at it like I'm getting hit hard. I look at it as maybe not executing some of the pitches. They have power in their lineup and a lot of speed, so you're keeping an eye on their baserunners. But the main challenge is to get the guy out."

On Saturday, Baltimore led 4-0 but gave up 11 runs in an 11-4 loss. On Sunday, they were up 4-0 after three innings.

The Orioles are a dismal 12-26 on the road.

NOTES: Hunter and Fuentes were picked as All-Star reserves, with Chone Figgins among five players in contention for the last remaining American League roster spot. "I am going to get like six e-mails and vote for him because I think he deserves it and I hope he gets elected," Hunter said. ... CF Adam Jones was named to the All-Star team, becoming the first Orioles' outfielder since Mora to make the AL squad in 2003.