Angels drop Rangers, 5-4, for fourth win in a row

KEY MOMENT: The Rangers trimmed a 5-2 deficit to 5-4 in the seventh inning when Robinson Chirinos doubled off Mike Morin, Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch, Elvis Andrus singled off Jason Grilli to load the bases, and Alex Rios lined a two-run single to center. But Grilli got cleanup batter Adrian Beltre to ground out to second to end the inning.

AT THE PLATE: Kole Calhoun hit a two-out, two-run single to right to give the Angels a 5-0 lead in the fourth, and he doubled in the sixth for his sixth multi-hit effort in seven games. The leadoff man is batting .441 (15 for 34) in his last seven games and .329 (75 for 228) in 58 games since June 6. Howie Kendrick, who hit his first homer since June 17, and Erick Aybar combined for five hits and four runs, and Chris Iannetta hit a two-out, RBI double to right-center in the second.

ON THE MOUND: Few expected unheralded right-hander Matt Shoemaker to provide more than long relief, a spot start here or there, but after allowing two runs and four hits in 52/3 innings, striking out six and walking one on Saturday, he is 11-4 with a 3.84 earned run average in 21 games, 14 of them starts. “There’s probably four or five guys on our roster now who, if you were talking about them in spring training, what they would contribute, it would make your head spin,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “And Matt Shoemaker might be leading that parade. For him to give us such a lift, a chance to win, every time he takes the ball is huge.”

ON THE BASES: Third-base coach Gary DiSarcina was a little too aggressive in waving Josh Hamilton home from second on Kendrick’s sharply hit one-out single to right in the fifth. A strong, one-hop throw by the Rangers’ Alex Rios easily nailed Hamilton, the 15th time this season the Angels have had a runner thrown out at home.

ROSTER MOVE: To clear a spot for Morin, who was activated off the disabled list, the Angels sent right-hander Vinnie Pestano, who struck out three of four Boston hitters in his only Angels appearance last Sunday, to triple-A.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Hector Santiago (3-7, 3.59 ERA) will oppose Texas right-hander Nick Tepesch (4-7, 4.29 ERA) at Globe Life Park on Sunday at noon PDT. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830.