Pop, Pop, Streak’s Done

Bartolo Colon of the Angels and Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins provided some gripping theater Sunday, playing lead roles in a drama-filled afternoon that ended with a twist for Colon when the right-hander left the pitchers’ duel in the eighth inning after aggravating a left ankle injury.

The suspense did not end there.

Angel closer Francisco Rodriguez induced a bases-loaded, double-play grounder from Matthew LeCroy to end the eighth inning, preserving a two-run lead, and after giving up his first home run of the year to open the ninth, Rodriguez calmly set down the Twins to preserve the Angels’ 2-1 victory before a Metrodome crowd of 30,837.

The Angels made the most of two hits -- solo home runs by Vladimir Guerrero in the fourth inning and Jose Molina in the sixth -- and snapped Santana’s franchise record of 17 consecutive decisions won. The 2004 Cy Young Award winner began the streak last July 17 and, over his 20-start run, had a 17-0 record, with a 1.77 earned-run average, striking out 174 and walking 26. His last loss was July 11.

Sunday, Santana finally met his match. Colon, who was torched for three home runs and nine runs batted in by New York Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez Tuesday night, threw 7 1/3 shutout innings Sunday, giving up two singles, striking out seven and walking none, as the Angels avoided being swept in the three-game series.

Relying heavily on a sinking, two-seam fastball and a cut fastball he threw often in four-seam, straight-fastball counts, Colon induced 13 ground-ball outs, including nine to open the game, and did not allow a runner past first base.

“I’ve been playing against this guy forever, and this is the best I’ve ever seen him,” Twin center fielder Torii Hunter said of Colon, who improved to 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA. “I have to tip my cap to him. I hate doing that, but I have to.”

Of Colon’s 84 pitches, 62 were strikes, but it wasn’t simply the number of strikes that was impressive, it was the quality of strikes. After watching tapes of their at-bats, several Twins marveled at how Colon continued to pound the outer edges of the strike zone with so many pitches. Molina, the Angel catcher, agreed.

“He was hitting spots and keeping the ball down, and that was the key,” Molina said. “He kept throwing the ball where I wanted. He was amazing. By the third inning, I could tell he was going to have a real good game.”

By the eighth, it appeared Colon would complete the game, but his visions of a shutout ended on Jacque Jones’ chopper over the mound with one out. Colon jumped for the ball and tweaked his ankle when he landed on the slope of the mound. As he hobbled off the field after Jones’ infield single, it appeared Colon’s next start, against Detroit on Saturday, would be in jeopardy.

This was the same ankle that hampered Colon in the first half of 2004, when he went 6-8 with a 6.38 ERA and that he hurt again in Oakland on April 15. But afterward, Colon said he felt confident he would pitch Saturday.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it was when I came out of the game,” Colon said through an interpreter. “I thought it would be worse when I started walking around, but I felt better. I expect to be right on course for my next start.”

If Colon does pitch against the Tigers, it will be with his ankle taped. Colon had the ankle taped for his first two starts this season but went without tape for his next four, including Sunday’s game. “I was told after the game, ‘Let’s go back to the taping the ankle,’ and I will,” Colon said. “I want to protect myself and the team.”

Reliever Scot Shields replaced Colon and did nothing to protect a 2-0 lead, giving up Michael Cuddyer’s single and walking pinch-hitter Joe Mauer to load the bases.

Manager Mike Scioscia summoned Rodriguez to face LeCroy, who sent a firm grounder toward the middle. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera snared the ball and flipped to second baseman Chone Figgins, who was taken out hard by Mauer but managed to get a one-hop throw to first baseman Darin Erstad in time to complete the double play.

Rodriguez shook off Shannon Stewart’s homer in the ninth to retire the next three batters, including a strikeout of cleanup hitter Justin Morneau to end the game, as the Angels salvaged -- and savored -- a victory after two losses to the Twins.

“You never want to be swept,” Erstad said. “After losing two and then having to face Santana, the odds were not in our favor. But we found a way.”

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Top Streaks

The Angels ended Johan Santana’s streak of 17 consecutive decisions won over a 20-start stretch. He had not lost since July 11, 2004. Most consecutive major league victories since 1900:

*--* Player Team Wins Carl Hubbell N.Y. Giants 24 Roy Face Pittsburgh 22 Rube Marquard N.Y. Giants 20 Roger Clemens Tor.-N.Y. Yankees 20 Johan Santana Minnesota 17 Johnny Allen Cleveland 17 Dave McNally Baltimore 17

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* Players with 16 consecutive wins: Bill Donovan (not available), Walter Johnson (Washington Senators), Joe Wood (Boston Red Sox), Lefty Grove (Philadelphia A’s), Alvin Crowder (Washington Senators), Schoolboy Rowe (Detroit Tigers), Ewell Blackwell (Cincinnati Reds), Jack Sanford (S.F. Giants), Tom Seaver (N.Y. Mets), Rick Sutcliffe (Chicago Cubs), Randy Johnson (Seattle Mariners), Roger Clemens (N.Y. Yankees).