Angels Bring Down Rangers

When will they learn? When will opposing managers realize that playing the so-called percentages against Garret Anderson -- bringing in a left-handed reliever to face the Angel cleanup batter in a key situation -- makes about as much sense as drawing to an inside straight? Rarely does it pay off.

Anderson made a shambles of another manager’s strategy Tuesday night, lining a sinking fastball from Texas left-hander Brian Shouse over the right-field wall for an 11th-inning grand slam, lifting the Angels to a 5-1 victory over the Rangers before an announced 27,159 at Ameriquest Field.

Chone Figgins opened the 11th with a single off right-hander Kameron Loe, Darin Erstad doubled Figgins to third, and Vladimir Guerrero was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Texas Manager Buck Showalter summoned the sidearm-throwing Shouse, who had held Anderson hitless in six previous at-bats, but Anderson got the best of Shouse this time with a laser that didn’t appear to rise more than 20 feet off the ground on its way to the right-field seats.

“When they do something like that intentionally for you, you want to prove it won’t work all the time,” Angel second baseman Adam Kennedy said. “Every manager knows about Garret. They just have to play the percentages. But with him, I don’t think there are percentages. There’s just one percentage, that he’s going to get it done.”

Anderson’s ninth home run pushed his team-leading runs-batted-in total to 57, extended the Angel win streak to eight and pushed their lead over the Rangers in the American League West to 8 1/2 games.

The Angels have gained seven games on the Rangers in 10 days and are trying to remain level-headed during a torrid streak that has come as Texas has lost eight of nine.

“By no means do I count [the Rangers] out,” said Angel pitcher Jarrod Washburn, who gave up one run and seven hits in seven innings Tuesday for another no-decision. “An 8 1/2 -game lead sounds great, but we’re not breathing easy.”

Added Anderson: “It can easily disappear that quickly.”

About as quickly as Showalter probably tossed the scouting report for Anderson on Tuesday night. While Shouse’s success against left-handers (.151 average this season) and his career success against Anderson supported his move, there was other evidence that suggested it might not work.

Anderson is batting .284 with five home runs and 31 RBIs in 186 at-bats against right-handers this season. He is batting .363 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 102 at-bats against left-handers. He entered 2005 with a career .291 average against lefties and .303 average against right-handers.

“I’ve always felt comfortable against left-handers,” said Anderson, who now has seven career grand slams. “I don’t care who I hit off.”

Anderson said he doesn’t go to the plate with any extra incentive to prove a manager wrong, whether that manager summoned a left-hander to face him or intentionally walked Guerrero before him.

“You play by the book, so you expect [to face a left-hander in that situation],” Anderson said. “If you don’t play by the book, you have to answer questions after the game. I was 0 for 6 against Shouse, so you can’t argue with that at all.”

Anderson’s shot made a winner out of reliever Brendan Donnelly, who threw a scoreless 10th to improve to 6-2. Fellow set-up man Scot Shields, who threw two scoreless innings, is 6-4, meaning both relievers have two more wins than Washburn, who is 4-3 with a 3.21 earned-run average but has nine no-decisions in 16 starts.

“I don’t care if I get the win, as long as we win,” Washburn said. “If I have to listen to two smart-aleck relievers giving me some [grief] about it, I’m OK with that.”

Washburn gave up a solo home run to Michael Young in the first but struck out No. 3 hitter Mark Teixeira with runners on first and third to end the third, and escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth with the help of Kennedy, who raced into right-center to make an over-the-shoulder catch of Richard Hidalgo’s popup.

Washburn struck out three and walked one to remain even with Ranger starter John Wasdin, who filled in for injured starter Kenny Rogers and held the Angels to one run and five hits, including Guerrero’s RBI double in the first, in eight innings.

Guerrero’s hit extended his hitting streak against Texas to 29 games, the longest streak by a player against one team since Ryan Klesko hit in 29 straight against the Houston Astros for Atlanta and San Diego.