Angels’ Offense Blasts Off

It began as the epitome of little ball.

Adam Kennedy led off the third inning for the Angels with a bunt for a base hit. David Eckstein bunted to advance Kennedy and reached on a fielder’s choice. Darin Erstad bunted for a base hit to load the bases.

By the time the eight-run inning was over Friday night, what began as a bunt-fest had turned into a blowout and the Angels cruised to a 19-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox before 36,715 at Edison Field.

“It’s hard to believe it started with three bunts, but it did,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Angels hit a season-high five home runs and had a season-high 24 hits while setting a franchise record for runs in a home game.

The Angels’ output on offense continued a recent trend. They have outscored opponents, 113-40, in their last 14 games. The 19-run victory margin equaled that set in a 21-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on April 30 at Jacobs Field.

Still, it was night of firsts in the power department.

Kennedy hit his first two home runs of the season, designated-hitter Brad Fullmer hit his first home run for the Angels, and Julio Ramirez hit his first career homer. Garret Anderson also hit his sixth homer and drove in four runs as the Angels won for the 12th time in their last 14 games. It was the first time the Angels hit five homers in a game since May 14, 2000 when they did it against the Texas Rangers.

The Angels (18-16), who climbed to two games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 17, 2001, had seven of their hits in the pivotal third inning against White Sox starter Dan Wright (3-4). It was the 14th time in the last 22 games that the Angels produced at least 10 hits.

That made it easy for left-hander Scott Schoeneweis (2-4), who tamed a White Sox offense that entered the game leading the American League in runs, hits, runs batted in and total bases, and ranked second in batting average and slugging percentage.

Schoeneweis, winless in his last five starts, gave up three hits, walked two and had one strikeout in seven innings to record his first victory since April 6. He pitched 32/3 hitless innings before surrendering consecutive singles to Magglio Ordonez and Paul Konerko. Ordonez was the only White Sox runner to advance as far as second base. Matt Wise pitched the final two innings as the Angels recorded their third shutout of the season.

“I was trying to think of it as a 0-0 game,” Schoeneweis said. “Especially with [the White Sox] high-powered offense. If we can score 19, they can score 19. You don’t want to be the guy who spoils a big lead like that.”

Wright, 24, pitched out of a potential jam in the second inning but he could not escape the multi-pronged Angel assault in the third.

Kennedy started it by dropping a bunt toward third and beating Tony Graffanino’s throw to first. Eckstein followed with a bunt to the right of the mound that Graffanino fielded before hitting umpire Phil Cuzzi with his throw to second base. Erstad then dragged a bunt to the left of the mound for a single that loaded the bases.

“When you have a team that can execute little ball and do it three times in a row, it gives your team confidence and the big boys took over,” Eckstein said.

Wright hit Troy Glaus with a pitch to force in the first run before Anderson hit a fly ball to shallow center field. White Sox center fielder Kenny Lofton lost the ball in the lights and shortstop Royce Clayton was unable to glove it, allowing Eckstein and Erstad to score.

Fullmer then stepped in and blasted a shot high into the right-field seats for a three-run homer, his first home run since Sept. 18, 2001, when he was playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Wright appeared to have regained control when he got Tim Salmon to ground out to short and Scott Speizio to hit a fly ball to right. But Bengie Molina singled up the middle and Kennedy chased Wright with a home run to right, his first since last Aug. 29.

“The bunt set up everything,” Kennedy said. “I was more comfortable at the plate later and it gave us a nice cushion.”

Anderson’s two-run homer against Matt Ginter in the fourth made it 10-0. The Angels added three runs in the fifth, three more in the sixth on Kennedy’s home run off the right-field foul pole and Ramirez’s pinch-hit two-run shot to left, and three more in the seventh.

Salmon, who entered the game batting .189, had four hits, including two doubles and drove in two runs. Salmon’s second-inning double gave him 526 extra-base hits, tying the Angel record held by Brian Downing. He broke the record with a double to left in the seventh.

Kennedy also had four hits, and Anderson and Fullmer each had three hits and four RBIs.