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Napoli's two homers help Angels rout Dodgers

May 18, 2008 - 11:23 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Mike Napoli knew the Los Angeles Dodgers could not keep him down for the entire series.

Napoli homered twice and drove in a season-high five runs as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim coasted to a 10-2 triumph over the Dodgers in the finale of a three-game interleague series on Sunday.

After going 0-for-4 in the first two games of the series, Napoli finally awoke to help Anaheim take two of three from its cross-town rival.

"It was just one of those days where I got some good pitches I could handle and put good swings on them," Napoli said.

The 26-year-old catcher started his impressive day in the second inning with a three-run homer off Dodgers starter Derek Lowe (2-4) as the Angels took a 4-0 lead. Napoli added an RBI single in the fourth.

"I got a pitch up in the zone and just hit it hard and got enough on it for a home run," Napoli said.

Napoli registered his first multi-homer outing of the season with his 10th blast - a solo shot off reliever Scott Proctor to make it 8-2 in the sixth. It was the third multi-homer game of his three-year career and first since going deep twice against the Dodgers on July 1 during his rookie campaign in 2006.

"We were trying to go up there and hit another one, but he looked at the third strike," said Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, who had two hits.

Anaheim starter Jered Weaver (3-5) tossed 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts for the win. As one of the biggest disappointments in the rotation, Weaver has bounced back to yield just two runs over his last 13 1/3 frames.

"I just battled," Weaver said. "I have been pitching good lately and the club gave me some runs to work with. It feels good to get a win and take the series against the Dodgers."

Weaver also remained undefeated through three career starts against the Dodgers.

"(Weaver) has been throwing better lately and it showed by shutting down a good offensive ballclub," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Hunter drove in two runs and Casey Kotchman went 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Angels, who pounded out 14 hits - including four doubles.

"This was an exciting series to play in," Hunter said. "It's nothing like a Minnesota and Milwaukee series."

Lowe, who was pitching on three days' rest, was pounded for seven runs and 10 hits over five innings. The righthander hasn't registered a winning decision since his win over Arizona on April 23 - span of five starts.

"The short rest was nothing new to me," Lowe said. "I made a couple bad pitches and they took advantage. A lot of there hits were on the ground that found holes."

The Dodgers scored their lone runs of the game when former National League MVP Jeff Kent laced a two-run single to center in the fourth.