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Trumbo, Haren lead Angels past Twins

Aug 5, 2011 - 5:19 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Dan Haren sparkled over eight innings and Mark Trumbo smacked a three-run homer and drove in four, as the Angels pounded Minnesota, 7-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Torii Hunter had three hits and scored once for Los Angeles, which bounced back from an 11-4 loss Wednesday night. The Angels moved to 11-1-1 over their last 13 series played. They also won for the 15th time in their last 19 home games and haven't lost consecutive contests at Angel Stadium since June 8 and 10.

Trumbo, who has driven in 14 runs over his last seven games, leads the Angels with 21 homers and 62 RBI. No rookie in Angel history has led the team in both categories in a single season.

"We pressured those guys tonight and Mark had the big three-run homer," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Dan had four solid pitches and his command was terrific."

Haren (12-6), who was coming off a complete game win at Detroit on Saturday, looked just as sharp in this one, allowing five hits and fanning six batters. He had a one-hitter going into the eighth. The right-hander, who has won six of his last seven decisions, was lifted after throwing 77 of his 111 pitches for strikes.

"My fastball was good as the game went along," Haren said. "Getting those runs early helped. I rely on the defense and the defense has been good all year."

Jim Thome hit his 598th career homer, but the Twins faltered for the fourth time in five contests. Francisco Liriano (7-9) surrendered seven earned runs on 10 hits over five innings.

Peter Bourjos doubled in Trumbo in the second. Jeff Mathis was up next and grounded a ball deep in the hole on the right side of the infield. Second baseman Michael Cuddyer ranged over to made the stop in shallow right field, but his throw home wasn't strong enough as Bourjos scored.

Walks to Alberto Callaspo and Hunter to start the third hurt Liriano. With two down, Trumbo blasted a ball over the wall in left.

"We missed a lot of plays defensively," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's hard to figure how Frankie threw the ball. Five runs came after two double plays that should have been turned. It was just one of those nights we didn't make plays behind him. It was a tough night for us."

It became 6-0 in the fourth when Bourjos bunted for a hit and scored on a Maicer Izturis single to right.

Trumbo's infield hit in the fifth plated Hunter.

The Angels also displayed some good defense in the eighth, an inning Thome led off with his ninth homer of the year, a blast to center. The Twins put together consecutive singles from Danny Valencia, Delmon Young and Tsuyoshi Nishioka. The last hit in the string, though, ended in an out when Bourjos threw out Valencia at home. Catcher Jeff Mathis brilliantly blocked the plate.

Game Notes

The Angels remained one game behind Texas for first in the AL West...Thome has a nine-game hit-streak, his longest since a nine-game run from July 5-19, 2009...Cuddyer extended his hitting streak to 10 games.