Late rally propels Angels past Rockies

For all their struggles, their injuries and the emotional trauma they have endured, the Angels find themselves in a somewhat surprising position, one they have not held since opening day: first place in the American League West.

Bobby Abreu’s two-run single in the eighth inning gave the Angels a 4-3 victory over red-hot Colorado on Tuesday night, ending their four-game losing streak and the Rockies’ six-game win streak and moving the Angels into a first-place tie with Texas.

“With everything we’ve been through -- the death of a teammate, the injuries, the slumps, we’ve maintained, we’ve stayed close,” Angels center fielder Torii Hunter said. “It feels good. I might kick back and have me a bottle of milk.”

A pair of home runs by former Long Beach State star Troy Tulowitzki, who hit a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run shot high off the left-field foul pole in the sixth, gave Colorado a 3-2 lead, but the Angels rallied in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs.

Jeff Mathis walked off Colorado starter Ubaldo Jimenez, and Erick Aybar beat out a bunt for a single. Jimenez fielded Chone Figgins’ bunt and threw to third, but Ian Stewart, scrambling to get to the bag, failed to get a foot on the base.

Mathis was safe, and Abreu lined his single to right field to score the tying and winning runs. Closer Brian Fuentes struck out pinch-hitter Garrett Atkins and Clint Barmes with a runner on second to end the ninth for his 20th save.

“We’re trying to find ourselves -- that’s what our mission is right now,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’re contending, but we need to get better.”

Especially in the cleanup spot, a position Scioscia may have little choice but to remove the slumping Vladimir Guerrero from, and soon.

The most logical candidate to replace Guerrero is Juan Rivera, who hit his 11th homer in the fourth and is batting .310 with 38 runs batted in.

Guerrero tried to change his luck by shearing the shoulder-length dreadlocks he has had for more than a year, but a nearly bald Vlad was no match for an Ubaldo.

Guerrero swung at Jimenez’s first pitch in the second and grounded out to third. He struck out on a breaking ball in the fourth.

He swung at a first pitch in the sixth and flied to shallow center. He grounded into a double play off reliever Joel Peralta in the eighth.

Whether it’s age, injury or both, Guerrero, 34, is clearly not the middle-of-the-order force he has been for the last decade.

Since returning May 25 from a five-week stint on the disabled list because of a torn right pectoral muscle, Guerrero is batting .280 with no homers and seven RBIs.

He’s batting .273 with one homer and 10 RBIs on the season, and 30 of his 36 hits have been singles.

“I don’t think he’s playing hurt, but I’m pretty sure he’s not 100%,” Hunter said. “I’ve had soreness in that area, and it affects everything. If you can’t throw, trust me, it’s going to hurt your swing.”

But is Guerrero, who has been relegated to designated hitter this season, injured to a point where he shouldn’t be playing?

“We know he’s hurt,” Hunter said. “He probably shouldn’t even be back, but he’s a gamer. If he has pain, he’s not going to tell anyone. I like that. He’s old school, like me.”

Hunter says he thinks Guerrero, the 2004 AL most valuable player, has been having better at-bats, and he urged fans not to give up on him.

“Give him a little time to hit for power,” Hunter said. “He’s done a lot of great things for the Angels’ organization. Let’s not forget that.”

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com