Angels pound the Rangers, 13-0

KEY MOMENT: In the second inning, Johnny Giavotella hit the last in a string of five singles in six Angels at-bats to score the Angels’ second run of the evening. The Angels scored three runs in the inning, and that would be more than enough for left-hander Hector Santiago.
ON THE MOUND: Santiago pitched an easy seven innings. He walked one batter and allowed only two runners into scoring position. Carlos Ramos pitched the eighth inning and Trevor Gott the ninth.

AT THE PLATE: Before the series, Manager Mike Scioscia said the Angels needed to start getting on base more. The slump on offense would not be broken, he insisted, by five players hitting home runs. On Saturday, the Angels had two home runs, but they found plenty of other ways to score, many thanks to C.J. Cron and Kole Calhoun. Cron finished three for four with six RBIs, a career high, and Calhoun, after going two for four with a home run, is four for nine this series with six RBIs. Cron began the scoring in the second inning with a run-scoring single. Calhoun added a run on a sacrifice fly. In the third inning, Cron drove in another run with a sacrifice fly, and Calhoun homered in the fourth. In the sixth, Albert Pujols hit a double to score two runs, and Erick Aybar knocked him in with his own double. Cron punctuated the inning with a three-run home run. “It’s definitely fun to drive them in,” Cron said. “It’s fun to win 13-nothing. It was a good game overall.” Giavotella knocked in the 13th run of the night with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. After ending an 0-for-27 drought with runners in scoring position, the Angels have gone 14 for 32 in two games in Texas.

AYBAR SETS HIGH BAR: Aybar singled in the second inning and doubled in the third. It was a promising start to the game, and, before he flew out in the fourth, it was nearly historic. Aybar was five for five the day before, so he ran his hit streak to seven consecutive at-bats, two shy of the team record of nine, owned by Bengie Molina.

EXTRA BASES: Injured right-hander Jered Weaver, who has been on the disabled list since June 21 with a hip injury, threw a 55-pitch bullpen session Saturday. Weaver also threw a shorter bullpen session Thursday. “I wanted to be able to get through it without any stiffness, and I was fine,” Weaver said. Despite the positive step, Weaver said he will not return until some time after the All-Star break The Angels’ four sacrifice flies tied a team record.

UP NEXT: C.J. Wilson (6-6, 3.78 ERA) will face the Rangers and Colby Lewis (8-3, 4.13) at Globe Life Park on Sunday at 4 p.m. PDT. TV: FS West; Radio 830.