Two hits and one Rangers error enough for Angels in 1-0 win
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The Angels managed only two hits against the Texas Rangers and ace left-hander C.J. Wilson on Thursday but scored the game’s only run on a second-inning error by center fielder Endy Chavez for a 1-0 victory in Angel Stadium.
Jered Weaver gave up seven hits in seven scoreless innings, improving to 13-4 and lowering his major league-leading earned run average to 1.81 as the Angels pulled to within three games of the first-place Rangers in the American League West.
Weaver was pulled after giving up a leadoff single to Elvis Andrus in the eighth. Left-hander Scott Downs came on and retired Josh Hamilton on a fielder’s-choice grounder, then got Adrian Beltre and Michael Young on fly balls to center field to preserve a 1-0 lead.
Closer Jordan Walden gave up a two-out single to Mike Napoli in the top of the ninth but got Chavez to ground out to end the game for his 23rd save, an Angels rookie record.
The Angels scored in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Howie Kendrick was hit by a pitch with one out and took second on Wilson’s wild pitch.
Mark Trumbo struck out, and Mike Trout hit a relatively routine fly ball to right-center field. Chavez raced to the gap in time to make the catch, but he appeared to screen his eyes with his glove.
The ball clanked off Chavez’s glove and fell to the ground, allowing Kendrick to score for a 1-0 Angels lead.
Two fine defensive plays in the first two innings helped keep Weaver out of trouble. With runners on first and second and one out in the first, the Rangers attempted a double steal, but Angels catcher Jeff Mathis fired a strike to third to nail Andrus. Beltre then struck out to end the inning.
Young led off the second with a drive to the gap in right-center, but Trout sprinted over from center field and made a diving catch for the first out.
The Rangers loaded the bases with two out in the sixth when Beltre doubled to right, Young walked and Nelson Cruz beat out a chopper to third for an infield single.
But Weaver blew a 91-mph fastball by Mitch Moreland for strike three, snuffing out the rally.
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