Angels hold on for win over Texas Rangers, 5-4

KEY MOMENT: The Rangers trimmed a 5-1 deficit to 5-4 in the eighth inning on singles by Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus, Mike Carp (RBI) and Adrian Beltre (RBI), then an RBI fielder’s-choice grounder by Alex Rios, who took second on an error by Howie Kendrick. But after Leonys Martin was walked intentionally to put runners on first and second, Angels setup man Joe Smith replaced the struggling Kevin Jepsen and got Geovany Soto to ground into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

AT THE PLATE: With the score tied, 1-1, David Freese and Chris Iannetta singled to open the fifth, and Kole Calhoun blasted a three-run homer — his 13th of the season — to right, a shot that traveled an estimated 413 feet. Calhoun, who fell a home run short of the cycle in a July 10 game at Texas, also singled and doubled, falling a triple short of a cycle. Iannetta had three singles and two runs, and Freese had a single, a double and two runs.

ON THE MOUND: Garrett Richards, featuring a 96-mph fastball and a devastating, drop-off-the-table curve, allowed two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking none, to improve to 13-4 with a 2.53 earned run average. He escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh by striking out Soto and getting Jim Adduci to fly to right. “I threw a lot more curves than I have in previous starts,” Richards said. “I had a good feel for it today.” Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth for his eighth save with the Angels.

STAYING IN LINE: Manager Mike Scioscia has no plans to use Richards on short rest next weekend in Oakland. The rotation is set up for Hector Santiago, C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver to start against the Athletics. “You would like to adjust matchups if you could, but now is not the right time — it’s too early,” Scioscia said. “We have a lot of baseball left, and we want to make sure guys are rested. If we have to bring some guys back on three days rest when it’s meaningful, that will happen the last 10 days of the season.”

UP NEXT: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (10-4, 3.89 ERA) will oppose Texas right-hander Colby Lewis (8-9, 5.42 ERA) at Globe Life Park on Saturday at 5 p.m. PDT. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830 AM.