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Santana tosses a gem as Angels blank Athletics

Sep 30, 2006 - 4:39 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Ervin Santana continues to pitch well against the Oakland Athletics this season.

Santana tossed seven impressive innings and Chone Figgins had an inside-the-park home run as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim posted a 6-0 victory over the Athletics in the second game of a season-ending four-game series.

Santana (16-8) improved to 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts against Oakland this season. He has faced the Athletics in his last two outings, allowing one run in 15 innings.

"I just go out and try to throw a good game and give our team a chance to win," Santana said. "I know I have to pitch the same way against any team."

The 23-year-old Santana allowed only three hits in seven scoreless innings. Brendan Donnelly pitched the eighth and J.C. Romero hurled a perfect ninth for the Angels.

"He (Santana) went out and pitched a good game," A's manager Ken Macha said. "He's a good young pitcher with a good future."

Figgins recorded his inside-the-park homer in the eighth when Hiram Bocachica fell twice chasing his line drive in the right field corner. It was his ninth homer of the season.

"We knew he had a chance to score once we saw him (Bocachica) slip because Figgy just kept on going," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

"I didn't know what happened, all I did was keep running," Figgins said. "It was a different way to get a home run, but we are just trying to play hard."

Figgins, who had three hits and two RBI, also blooped a run-scoring double to left field off Esteban Loaiza (11-9) in the second inning to make it 1-0.

Loaiza allowed four runs - three earned - and six hits in four innings for Oakland.