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Angels complete series sweep of Rangers

Apr 5, 2007 - 12:24 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continue to have their way with the Texas Rangers at home.

Ervin Santana pitched seven strong innings and Garret Anderson had two hits, two runs and an RBI as the Angels defeated the Rangers, 5-3, to complete a three-game series sweep.

The Angels have beaten the Rangers in 21 of the last 29 meetings in Anaheim.

Santana (1-0) allowed two runs, four hits and one walk while striking out six. The righthander kept Texas' hitters off balance for most of the game, only running into trouble in the third inning, when he allowed both runs.

"I felt really good today," Santana said. "I got into a good rhythm and located my pitches. The team did a good job putting runs on the board for me and giving me run support to work with."

Santana also benefited from an outstanding catch by center fielder Gary Matthews, who robbed Michael Young of a possible home run in the first inning.

Righthander Hector Carrasco worked the eighth to set up star closer Francisco Rodriguez, who yielded a run in the ninth but still recorded his second save of the season.

Young said the Rangers can't pinpoint the reason for their struggles in Anaheim.

"I don't know what it is, but for some reason we just don't win games here," he said. "We play them tough every game it seems. It's just that we don't get the result we want."

The Angels took a 4-0 lead in the first inning off Texas starter Brandon McCarthy (0-1).

All-Star Vladimir Guerrero ignited the uprising with an RBI single and Anderson followed with a run-scoring double off the wall in right field. Guerrero scored a batter later on a groundout by Casey Kotchman and Anderson crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Maicer Izturis.

Guerrero went 6-for-11 with a home run and five RBI in the series. He is a .437 career hitter vs. Texas and once had a 44-game hitting streak against the Rangers.

"Nothing (Guerrero) does surprises me," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "But when he's hitting the ball this good early in the season, it shows that he's going to do whatever it takes to help our club win ballgames."

McCarthy, making his Rangers debut, allowed five runs - three earned - and 10 hits with a walk in six innings. The former Chicago White Sox prospect was acquired by the Rangers in a five-player deal in December.

Trailing, 5-2, in the top of the ninth with one out, Texas loaded the bases against Rodriguez. But the hard-throwing righthander escaped the jam, inducing a sacrifice fly from Brad Wilkerson before striking out Nelson Cruz to end the game.

Young and Gerald Laird also drove in runs for Texas, which managed just seven runs and 15 hits over the three-game set.

"We played them tough and had a chance to win every game if we got that big hit that we needed with runners on base," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "You have to give them a lot of credit because they have a very good team.