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Role players help Angels get past Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3

Ernesto Frieri pitches during the ninth inning of the Angels' 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.
(Laurence Kesterson / Associated Press)
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KEY MOMENT: With the score tied, 2-2, in the sixth, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia gave Luis Jimenez, a .167-hitting third baseman who was recalled from triple A on Monday, the green light on a 3-and-0 pitch from Phillies ace Cliff Lee. Jimenez ripped a two-run double to left field for a 4-2 lead.

AT THE PLATE: Collin Cowgill had two hits, including a double to lead off the sixth, and is batting .316. Grant Green hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, an inning that featured two errors by Phillies third baseman Cody Asche. Philadelphia’s Chase Utley hit an RBI triple and scored on Ryan Howard’s single in the fourth, and Domonic Brown tripled off Angels reliever Fernando Salas and scored on Carlos Ruiz’s sacrifice fly in the seventh.

ON THE MOUND: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who replaced struggling left-hander Hector Santiago in the rotation, gave up two runs and three hits in five innings, striking out three and walking one, to earn his first big league win and, Scioscia said, another start. Michael Kohn and Joe Smith pitched scoreless innings, and Ernesto Frieri got Ruiz to hit into a game-ending double play for his fifth save.

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IN THE FIELD: Jimenez dived to his left to catch Marlon Byrd’s line drive a few inches off the ground and tagged Utley between second and third for an inning-ending double play in the sixth. “Lucho is a terrific defensive third baseman,” Scioscia said. “That play doesn’t really surprise you.”

REHAB REPORT: Reliever Dane De La Rosa, recovering from forearm and shoulder injuries, has made four appearances for triple-A Salt Lake, allowing two earned runs in 42/3 innings, but the right-hander is “trying to build some arm strength and get his velocity and command where it needs to be,” Scioscia said. “It’s taken a bit of time.”

EXTRA BASES: Shortstop Erick Aybar is physically sound but was given Tuesday night off after playing four games on Toronto’s artificial turf. . . . Two calls were upheld after instant-replay challenges; one caused a delay of 3 minutes 33 seconds in the fourth. . . . To make room on the roster for Shoemaker, the Angels optioned reliever Cory Rasmus to triple A.

UP NEXT: Garrett Richards (3-0, 2.80 ERA) will oppose Philadelphia right-hander A.J. Burnett (2-2, 2.90 ERA) at Citizens Bank Park at 10 a.m. PDT. On the air: FS West. Radio: 830.

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