Witt’s Bid for 20 Wins at an End, 8-2 : Angels: Lewis wins major league debut by allowing Rangers two runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Bobby Witt was trying to become the Rangers’ first 20-game winner since 1974. Scott Lewis just wanted to win No. 1.

Lewis won his major league debut Tuesday, giving the Angels an 8-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Witt (17-10), with victories in 14 of his last 15 decisions, was making his third start in nine days in pursuit of the milestone. He gave up six runs, 12 hits and three walks as the Angels scored five times in the sixth inning to end his longshot bid to join Fergie Jenkins--who went 25-12 in 1974--as a Ranger 20-game winner.

Lewis, called up from triple-A Edmonton on Sept. 14, gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings.

“Terrific job,” Angel Manager Doug Rader said. “He has an excellent presence about him.

“He had good command of pitches that can get you out. Texas is an excellent hitting ballclub. When you see the job that Lewis did, it gives you hope.”

Lewis was the Angels’ 11th-round draft choice in 1988 out of Nevada Las Vegas.

“I was trying not to get too excited,” Lewis said. “I had good command of all four pitches. I just wanted to throw strikes, not paint the corners.”

Witt will only get one more start now that he can’t win 20.

“I’m happy I had the opportunity,” he said. “I felt pretty decent tonight, but I wasn’t able to locate the ball at all.”

Texas Manager Bobby Valentine added: “He was a little tired. I shouldn’t have let him go out for the sixth. That was absolutely the wrong decision. I had it all made up for him to go five, and I got talked out of it.”

Jack Howell doubled in two runs to give the Angels the lead in the sixth and Donnie Hill and Dave Winfield each had three of the Angels’ 17 hits.

It was 2-2 in the sixth when Lance Parrish and Dick Schofield singled and both scored on Howell’s double. Luis Polonia doubled to make it 5-2.

After Gary Mielke relieved Witt, Hill and Brian Downing singled and Max Venable hit an run-scoring groundout.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Julio Franco hit a two-out line drive that right fielder Winfield lost in the lights for a double, and Jeff Huson singled home Franco.

The Angels tied it in the fourth when Winfield singled, went to third on Parrish’s single and scored on Lee Stevens’ sacrifice fly.