Orioles complete season sweep of the Angels

Hitting with runners in scoring position wasn’t much of a problem for the Angels on Sunday.

That’s because they had only two runners reach scoring position during a 1-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium, where their offensive struggles reached new depths.

Jeremy Guthrie held the Angels to four hits in 8 1/3 innings before the Angels threatened in the ninth.

Reggie Willits hit a one-out double to right-center field and went to third when Howie Kendrick hit a chopper over the mound for an infield single. Baltimore Manager Buck Showalter then summoned left-hander Michael Gonzalez to face the left-handed-hitting Bobby Abreu, who struck out.

Orioles closer Koji Uehara retired Torii Hunter on the first pitch, getting the cleanup hitter to pop up to second baseman Ty Wigginton.

The Angels have been held scoreless for a season-high 26 innings and were outscored, 9-1, during a three-game sweep by Baltimore that completed a six-game season sweep. The Orioles became the first team to sweep the Angels in a six-game season series since the Kansas City Royals did it in 1981.

The Angels wasted a sterling eight-inning effort by Jered Weaver, who gave up only five hits and one run and struck out 11 to regain the major league strikeout lead with 200.

Luke Scott led off the seventh inning with a single through the left side of the infield and moved up to third on Wigginton’s double to left field. Weaver (11-10) struck out Corey Patterson, but Matt Wieters drove in Scott with a fly ball to left for the game’s only run.

The Angels appeared to catch a break in the sixth inning after Josh Bell reached on shortstop Erick Aybar’s throwing error and advanced to second base on a wild pitch with two out. Nick Markakis singled sharply to center field, and though outfielder Peter Bourjos’ throw home beat Bell to the plate, Bell bowled over catcher Jeff Mathis and appeared to touch home plate before Mathis could apply a tag.

But home plate umpire Brian Gorman called Bell out, giving Bourjos his fifth outfield assist in only 21 starts.

Guthrie nearly hit Mathis with a pitch when he led off the bottom of the inning. Mathis eventually walked, took second on Bourjos’ sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on Reggie Willits’ bunt single down the third-base line.

That’s when Kendrick grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

ben.bolch@latimes.com