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Anderson singles in winning run as Angels stop Rays

Aug 21, 2008 - 4:45 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Garret Anderson had one last chance to extend his hitting streak. He used it to keep the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Anderson's ninth-inning single scored Mark Teixeira, giving the Angels a 5-4 victory over Rays on Wednesday.

The hit extended Anderson's streak to 23 games as the Angels halted their three-game losing streak.

The loss was the 11th in the last 54 home games for the Rays (77-49), who remained 4 1/2 games ahead of Boston (73-54) atop the American League East.

"I like the way we bounced back, not only in the game, but inning to inning," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Jose Arredondo (5-1) allowed the Rays to forge a tie in the eighth, but got the victory due to Anderson's hit. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 48th save.

"It's a special season what (Rodriguez's) doing," Scioscia said. "We played a lot of close games and he's been there for us and has done a terrific job."

In the ninth, the Angels loaded the bases with one out against relievers Grant Balfour (3-2) and Chad Bradford. Torii Hunter hit into a fielders choice, but Anderson managed an infield single off second baseman Akinori Iwamura's glove to plate the go-ahead run.

"Garret just burnt us to the center field side," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "If we had played it over there, he probably would have hit it through the hole."

Trailing 4-3 with one out in the eighth, Tampa Bay rallied.

B.J. Upton doubled off Arredondo and scored on Carlos Pena's double, tying the game at 4-4. Cliff Floyd's single moved Pena to third, but Arredondo retired Willy Aybar on a pop up and struck out pinch-hitter Ben Zobrist.

"I'm so pleased with the effort of our guys," Maddon said. "We did so many things well. You're just not going to win every game. You're going to lose some difficult games."

The Rays had jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second off Jered Weaver on consecutive RBI singles by Gabe Gross and Shawn Riggins and an RBI triple by Jason Bartlett.

"They got to me for a couple in the third," Weaver said. "Some things didn't go my way. It was big for us to come back, so that kind of boosted my confidence level up a little bit."

The Angels took a 4-3 lead an inning later when Chone Figgins had an RBI double, Erick Aybar a two-run triple and Teixeira an RBI groundout.

"They got a three-spot early. A couple plays that we didn't make hurt us in that inning and we bounced right back," Scioscia said. "We held on for the win."

Neither team scored again until the Rays pulled even in the eighth.

"I left pitches up and great hitters make you pay for it," Matt Garza said. "I kept attacking and kind of got ahead of myself. I missed a spot here or there and they're going to make you pay for it."