Seven Isn’t Enough for Angels

There was no woe-is-me angle to the Kelvim Escobar story, no tale of injustice. The Angels scored as many runs Sunday against Arizona -- seven -- as they did in Escobar’s previous four starts combined, but the right-hander could not parlay the windfall into a win.

Escobar, struggling all afternoon with his command, failed to hold an early two-run lead, giving up four runs in the second inning, and he couldn’t contain the struggling Diamondbacks after the Angels pulled even in the fourth.

Second baseman Orlando Hudson cracked a three-run home run against Escobar to highlight a four-run fifth, and Arizona held on for a 9-7 victory at Chase Field, dropping the Angels seven games behind Oakland in the American League West and denying them their first series sweep of the season.

“That’s the million-dollar question,” outfielder Tim Salmon said, when asked why the Angels haven’t managed to sweep a series. “Most times, winning two of three is a good thing, but it would be nice to get that third game. We need to pick up some ground.”

The Angels brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings. Vladimir Guerrero struck out, and Hudson turned Kendry Morales’ soft liner into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Garret Anderson, after fouling off six two-strike pitches, flied to left with a runner on to end the game.

But this loss, for a change, couldn’t be pinned on the offense. The Angels manufactured three runs, scoring without a hit in the first, second and ninth innings. Morales singled and Tommy Murphy doubled to each knock in runs in the fourth, Morales hit a solo homer in the sixth, and Chone Figgins tripled and scored in the seventh.

And still, Escobar lost his seventh consecutive decision, a streak that has gone on for so long that “I don’t even remember the last time I won a game,” Escobar said.

For the record, it was May 12 against Seattle. In the last seven starts, Escobar (5-9) has gone 0-6 with a no-decision despite accumulating an impressive 3.61 earned-run average. The Angels scored 15 runs in those seven games, an average of 2.1 a game.

But Escobar, who signed a three-year, $28.5-million contract extension May 31, was not nearly as sharp Sunday, giving up eight runs and nine hits and walking five in 4 2/3 innings.

Three of those walks were to No. 8 hitter Chris Snyder with the pitcher on deck, including one that loaded the bases in the second inning.

Arizona starter Miguel Batista made Escobar pay, grounding a run-scoring single to left. Inning-opening singles by Conor Jackson, Shawn Green and Hudson had led to a run, and Craig Counsell and Jeff DaVanon followed Batista with a run-scoring single and sacrifice fly, respectively.

After the Angels rallied to tie the score, 4-4, in the fourth, Escobar walked Chad Tracy to open the fifth. Jackson’s single preceded Hudson’s three-run homer, and Escobar walked Snyder, who later scored on Counsell’s double against reliever J.C. Romero.

“You can’t let the bottom of the lineup hurt you,” Escobar said. “If you have trouble with those guys, you’re going to have to face the top of the lineup.”

The Diamondbacks had lost 17 of 19 games, but Escobar practically escorted them to first base with his five walks, surprising for a pitcher who had not walked more than two batters in 12 of his first 14 starts.

“My command was a little off, and when I got ahead, I wasn’t able to make that good pitch to finish them off,” Escobar said. “I didn’t pitch well. I didn’t do what I wanted to do.”

The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Angels, who continue to muddle their way through a disappointing first half.

The question arose afterward whether the Angels have the killer instinct required to sweep a series, but Manager Mike Scioscia said attitude has nothing to do with the team’s inability to sustain a long winning streak.

“We’re not playing well enough to sweep clubs,” Scioscia said. “There always seem to be breakdowns here and there that prevent us from getting on a run.”