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Angels win in 10, spoil Johnson's debut as Nats manager

Jun 28, 2011 - 6:15 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Maicer Izturis singled up the middle past a drawn-in infield, scoring Alberto Callaspo with the game-winning run in the 10th inning of the Angels' 4-3 win over the Nationals.

Extra innings was needed after Danny Espinosa's two-out, solo homer off Jordan Walden tied the game in the ninth, extending the debut of Davey Johnson as Washington's manager.

But Sean Burnett (3-4) couldn't extend the game in the 10th, as he loaded the bases on a one-out single to Callaspo, a ground-rule double to Peter Bourjos and an intentional walk to Bobby Wilson prior to Izturis' game-winner.

"It was a lot of fun, a little bit of everything in the ballgame," Johnson said.

Johnson was on the bench after an eventful week for the Nationals, whose manager, Jim Riggleman, abruptly resigned last Thursday in the midst of the team's most successful stretch of the season.

John McLaren stepped in on an interim basis and led Washington to a series win over the White Sox prior to Johnson taking over against an Angels club coming off an 8-4 road trip.

Washington, which had won 13 of 15 heading into the three-game series, had a 2-0 lead on leadoff home runs by Mike Morse and Ryan Zimmerman in the second and fourth inning, respectively.

Angels starter Ervin Santana settled down from there, however, and the Angels tied it in the home fourth when Callaspo and Bourjos both knocked in a run on humpback liners into the outfield. On the latter, Vernon Wells scored just before Callaspo was thrown out at third by Jayson Werth.

"I'm seeing the ball a lot better," Bourjos said following his four-hit effort. "I got some pitches to hit and they fell in for me. It's a good feeling."

Wilson drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth, plating Callaspo with a two-out single through the left side of the infield.

The Angels left the bases loaded, but the slim lead seemed safe because of Santana, who allowed just three hits other than the two gopher balls in his eight innings of work.

But manager Mike Scioscia opted to pull the starter for Walden, who recorded two outs before Espinosa crushed a first-pitch fastball deep to right for his 15th home run of the season, the most ever by a rookie second baseman before the All-Star break.

After Walden's third consecutive blown save, Scott Downs (5-2) stranded a runner on second in the 10th to pick up the victory.

Game Notes

Santana needed just 93 pitches to get through eight innings...His counterpart, John Lannan, scattered 11 hits and three runs over 5 2/3 innings for Washington, which went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position...The Angels have won four consecutive series while the Nats have won five straight sets...Johnson, who last managed in the big leagues in 2000 with the Dodgers and took the Mets to the 1986 World Series, signed a three-year consulting contract with the Nationals and will also participate in the hiring of his successor after the season, assuming he doesn't serve the role again in 2012.