Rangers 4 - 5 Angels
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Rangers go with Ogando against Angels

Apr 23, 2013 - 3:08 PM (Sports Network) - Dominican right-hander Alexi Ogando can remain unbeaten for his career against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday night when the Texas Rangers visit Angel Stadium for the second of a three-game set.

A veteran of 137 major-league appearances across four seasons, Ogando has faced the Angels 20 times -- including three starts -- while going 3-0 with a 1.72 earned run average across 36 2/3 innings.

He's surrendered 32 hits and seven runs while walking nine batters and striking out 29.

Ogando allowed just two runs in his initial three starts in 2013 and picked up two victories, then dropped a 6-2 verdict to the Chicago Cubs on April 18 when he gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings.

He's opposed by lefty Jason Vargas, who makes his fourth start with the Angels while still seeking his first win.

A 14-game winner with Seattle in 2012, Vargas made 150 appearances with the Mariners, New York Mets and Florida Marlins before he was dealt to the Angels on Dec. 19.

He allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision against Texas in his Angels debut on April 5, a game Texas won, 3-2.

In two subsequent starts, Vargas has been nicked for 19 hits and 10 runs in nine innings.

He's 4-6 lifetime against the Rangers.

On Monday, A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo home run in the ninth inning to lead the Rangers in a 7-6 win.

Pierzynski drove in two runs while Elvis Andrus went 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Rangers, who have won four straight. Mitch Moreland added three hits and an RBI and David Murphy scored twice in the win.

"I was just trying to get the bat on the barrel. I didn't think I got enough of it but fortunately it did just get over the wall," Pierzynski said.

Derek Holland was tagged for six runs on six hits with four walks and seven strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Tanner Scheppers (2-0) gave up just one hit over two innings to get the win and Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his sixth save of the season.

Howie Kendrick drove in two runs and scored twice while Josh Hamilton had a 4- for-4 game with two runs scored for the Angels, who were coming off a three- game sweep of the Detroit Tigers.

Joe Blanton gave up four runs on 12 hits in six-plus innings while Ernesto Frieri (0-1) took the loss due to Pierzynski's home run.

"I made my pitch," Frieri said. "It was a little bit up, outside, but yeah, I wanted to go outside, maybe a little bit low. But like I said, he made a good swing on the ball and it went out."

The Rangers won two of three from the Angels when the teams played three games in Arlington in early April. The Angels won 10 of 19 games in the series last season.






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