Angels in too deep in Texas

These weren’t exactly the power Rangers.

Sammy Sosa had the night off. Slugging infielders Mark Teixeira, Ian Kinsler and Hank Blalock are all on the disabled list.

That left Brad Wilkerson as one of Texas’ few remaining home run threats, and the first baseman generated plenty of pop during the Rangers’ 8-3 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Wilkerson hit three homers and drove in six runs -- both career highs -- to lift Texas to only its second victory in eight games this season against the Angels. Wilkerson hit two homers off Ervin Santana, who has given up an American League-worst 21 homers.

“It was two mistakes, changeup over the middle and backdoor curveball,” Santana said of the pitches hit for homers. “Sometimes you make a great pitch and they hit home runs. Sometimes not.”

Wilkerson hit a three-run homer to right-center field in the fourth inning and led off the sixth with a solo shot inside the right-field foul pole to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead. He had a two-run homer in the seventh off reliever Chris Bootcheck to become the first AL player to hit three homers in a game this season.

Santana registered a career-high 11 strikeouts, including eight in the first three innings, six days after attending a closed-door meeting with Manager Mike Scioscia in an effort to solve his erratic ways.

“I did the same thing I was doing before,” said Santana, who gave up seven hits and five runs -- four earned -- in 5 1/3 innings. “I’m trying to pitch aggressive every time.”

Santana said all of his pitches were effective in piling up the strikeouts.

“Either fastball, breaking ball or slider, it didn’t matter,” he said.

Nevertheless, Santana (5-9) has lost his last three decisions and is now 1-7 on the road, though he actually lowered his earned-run average away from Anaheim a few ticks, from 7.53 to 7.45.

Scioscia said he was pleased with Santana’s effort, if not his results.

“We’re certainly excited about seeing the stuff from his arm,” Scioscia said. “The ball was coming out of his hand very nicely. If he can bring that stuff he had tonight, he’s going to win a lot of ballgames.”

Texas starter Kevin Millwood (5-7) pitched a season-high eight innings and settled into a nice groove, retiring 13 hitters in a row after Howie Kendrick’s two-run single in the second inning gave the Angels a short-lived 2-0 lead. The top of the Angels’ order was especially feeble, as Reggie Willits, Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera combined to go hitless in 12 at-bats.

“We weren’t able to get guys on base,” Figgins said.

That has been only one problem recently for the Angels (51-32), who are tied with Cleveland for the second-best record in baseball -- Boston is 51-31 -- but have lost five of their last seven games. Four of the losses have come against Kansas City and Texas, teams in last place in their respective divisions.

“If you don’t play well, you’re not going to win,” Scioscia said. “We’re not doing as many things positive in the field as we have been for most of the season, and it’s going to reflect in your chances to win a ballgame.”

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ben.bolch@latimes.com

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Three for all

Players who have hit three or more home runs in a game this season:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

* 3 -- Brad Wilkerson, Texas, July 3 vs. Angels

NATIONAL LEAGUE

* 3 -- Carlos Lee, Houston, April 13 at Philadelphia

* 3 -- Alfonso Soriano, Chicago, June 8 at Atlanta