Little goes a long way for Angels

Patience and power. The two weapons the Angels have been notorious for having so little of came together Wednesday night during a bizarre seventh-inning rally in which they scored six runs on one hit.

Taking advantage of a Houston error, four consecutive walks, a sacrifice fly and a prodigious three-run home run by Vladimir Guerrero, the Angels batted around for the 16th time this season en route to an 8-4 come-from-behind victory over the Astros at Angel Stadium.

Terry Evans, in his first big league start, hit a two-run home run in the second inning and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh, and setup man Scot Shields escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth by striking out Eric Bruntlett and Craig Biggio to help the Angels improve to 46-27 overall and 29-11 since May 9.

“I haven’t seen many innings like that,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of the seventh. “We definitely had some great at-bats to get some walks, and Vlad’s hit broke the game open.”

Right-hander Ervin Santana wasn’t exactly lights out, giving up four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings, but he lowered the dimmer switch on the Astros long enough to give the Angels a chance to come back from a 4-2 deficit.

A one-out throwing error by Bruntlett, the Houston shortstop, got the Angels rolling in the seventh. Starter Wandy Rodriguez walked Mike Napoli, and reliever Dave Borkowski walked Evans to load the bases.

Reggie Willits walked on a full count to force in a run, and Chone Figgins walked on four pitches to force in the tying run. Orlando Cabrera’s sacrifice fly scored Evans to make it 5-4, and Guerrero crushed his 13th homer of the season and first since June 3 to left-center to make it 8-4.

“We’re playing good because the guys at the top of the order are doing a good job, taking walks, getting hits, getting on base,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “It’s making my job easier.”

Guerrero is used to such heroics; he has 351 home runs. Evans, 25, who was called up from triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, is not.

As recently as 2005, Evans was buried in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system, hitting .221 at Class-A Palm Beach.

“Coming off of 2005, my worst season, I told myself I’ve got to do something to get my career going in the right direction,” Evans said. “I wasn’t looking for a way out, but I had to focus on turning my career around.”

Evans opened 2006 at Palm Beach, hitting .311 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 60 games, and was promoted to double-A Springfield, hitting .307 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 21 games. The Angels noticed Evans’ resurgence and acquired the Dublin, Ga., native last July 5 for struggling pitcher Jeff Weaver.

“That meant a lot to me,” Evans said of the trade. “It made me realize other people were starting to notice I’m turning my game around.”

Evans’ .327 average, 10 homers and 45 RBIs at Salt Lake this season caught the Angels’ eyes, and he joined the team Sunday at Dodger Stadium, where he struck out as a pinch-hitter. But in the second inning Wednesday night, with his father, Terry, in the stadium, Evans lined a full-count pitch over the wall in left for a two-run home run that pulled the Angels within 3-2.

“What an amazing blessing for my first hit to be a home run, for my dad to see it, and to win the game,” Evans said. “I wanted to contribute in some way.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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Tough to beat

The Angels took two out of three from Houston, giving them their eighth consecutive series victory.

May 25-27 at New York...3-0

May 28-30 vs. Seattle...2-1

May 31-June 3 vs. Baltimore...3-1

June 4-6 vs. Minnesota...2-1

June 8-10 at St. Louis...2-1

June 12-14 at Cincinnati...2-1

June 15-17 at Dodgers...2-1

June 18-20 vs. Houston...2-1