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Escobar sharp as Angels down Twins

Aug 11, 2007 - 6:34 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Kelvim Escobar snapped a personal three-game slide and Maicer Izturis smashed his first career grand slam as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim cruised to a 10-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

Chone Figgins turned in his sixth multi-hit game already in August for the Angels, who won for the fourth time in their last five games. Their 10 runs on Friday gave them an average of 8.7 runs per game over their last seven at Angel Stadium.

"This is the greatest ballpark to play in with the greatest fans," Anaheim outfielder Reggie Willits said. "We put up an overall great performance with our pitching and hitting."

Escobar (12-6), who had suffered the loss in his last three starts despite allowing just six earned runs in 22 combined innings, worked around five walks to hold the Twins to just one run in six innings.

"I took the game pitch-by-pitch, got ahead in the count and tried to be very agressive," Escobar said.

The Venezuelan righthander allowed five hits and struck out four to lower his ERA to 2.74 - second in the American League behind Oakland's Dan Haren.

Izturis' blast came in the sixth inning with Anaheim clinging to a two-run lead. The veteran utilityman drove Minnesota starter Scott Baker's 0-1 offering over the wall in right to put the game away, 6-1.

"(Izturis) always hits the ball hard and square on the barrel, that pitch he got under it a bit and the ball carried over the fence," Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman said. "By saying he's been coming up big is an understatement, everything he's doing is not surprising to us."

The normally light-hitting Izturis has homered three times in the last 10 games to push his season total to a robust four.

Baker (6-5) was pulled after Izturis' blast and saddled with the loss. The 25-year-old righthander allowed six runs and nine hits while walking three and striking out four.

"It wasn't a very good night, in the sixth inning Baker gave up a couple of bloops, walked a guy and made a mistake to Izturis," Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We had a few mind blanks and it turns into us getting killed, just wasn't our night."

Baker entered Friday's contest on a roll, having won his past two starts while allowing just one run in 16 combined innings. But the Angels jumped on top early, pushing across a pair of runs in the third to take a 2-0 lead.

"(Baker) has good command, anytime a pitcher can control both sides of the plate it makes it tough for the hitters." Kotchman said.

The Twins cut the deficit in half in the sixth when Rondell White singled home a run.

"(White) has been hitting the ball well, he roped the single in the sixth and even his outs were hit hard." Gardenhire said.

But Baker unraveled in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases on two singles and a walk before Izturis' homer.

Anaheim continued the onslaught in the following frame, plating four more runs on three singles and a sacrifice fly to put the game well out of reach.

"You can't ask for a better group of guys to come to the ballpark everyday and play hard," Willits said.

Minnesota has now dropped four of its last five games to fall six games behind Seattle (63-50) in the wild card race.