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Guerrero carries Angels past Rangers

Apr 4, 2007 - 6:41 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Vladimir Guerrero did not meet a pitch he didn't like.

Guerrero went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim posted an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game series.

Guerrero opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning, then delivered a solo homer off Texas starter Vincente Padilla two frames later as the Angels took a 3-1 edge.

"Vlad can hit any team, and he's a very special offensive player," Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said. "Vlad is so consistent and a competitor. He got his pitches and hit the ball hard every time."

"I can't walk Vlad every at-bat," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "We tried to throw the ball out of the zone, but he hit it and then we tried to throw the ball in the zone and he hit it. The guys is just a monster."

In the fifth, Orlando Cabrera and Guerrero stroked back-to-back one-run singles before Casey Kotchman's RBI single pushed the lead to 6-2 and chased Padilla (0-1).

Anaheim starter Kelvim Escobar (1-0) gave up three hits and three runs with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 frames.

"I felt like I pitched a good game, but I was a little rusty with my mechanics," Escobar said. "I also was pumped up since it was my first game of the year, but we won and that's all that matters to me."

Former Ranger Gary Matthews Jr. plated a runner in the sixth with a single and Howie Kendrick added an RBI base hit one frame later.

Padilla, who signed a lucrative three-year contract this winter to stay with Texas, was tagged for nine hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.

"I thought that Padilla pitched a good game, and he pitched good enough to keep us in the ballgame," Washington said. "We know he's going to pitch well and keep us in almost every game he goes out there for us."

Ian Kinsler homered for the second time in as many games and speedy Kenny Lofton drove in a run for the Rangers.