Angels lose to Rangers, 6-4
Reporting from Arlington, Texas — Nothing is adding up for the Angels, except their deficit in the American League West.
They scored as many runs as the Texas Rangers over a four-game series that featured three taut losses, including a 6-4 setback Sunday at Rangers Ballpark.
“What are we, six games out now?” center fielder Torii Hunter said, inquiring about his team’s standing in the division.
Informed that the margin was seven games, matching the largest of the season, Hunter uttered a mild expletive.
There was plenty of frustration to go around after the Angels received three solid starts from their pitchers and still dropped two games in the standings to the division-leading Rangers, who trumped their rivals with their own stellar pitching and defense.
Shortstop Elvis Andrus turned in Sunday’s gem, fielding a fifth-inning grounder off the bat of Howie Kendrick in shallow left field and throwing out the runner.
“I’m a stickler for defense, and defense wins games,” Hunter said. “We got out-defensed.”
Not that Texas was exactly spotty on the offensive end.
Josh Hamilton had three hits and drove in three runs, and the Rangers scored in five innings, thrilling a crowd that included former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura.
“This isn’t a healthy Josh, this is a ridiculous Josh,” Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler said of Hamilton, who was limited to 89 games last season because of injuries. “He’s doing things we’ve always expected, and he’s extremely talented. In my opinion, he’s the best player in the game.”
Hamilton leads the major leagues with a .357 batting average.
Right-hander Tommy Hunter (8-0) held the Angels to three runs in 6 1/3 innings, but the Angels hope an upgraded rotation can help them close the gap on their division rival when the teams meet again next weekend.
Three-time All-Star Dan Haren, acquired Sunday from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Joe Saunders and two minor league pitchers, is expected to make his Angels debut Monday against the Boston Red Sox at Angel Stadium.
That would put Haren in line to start again against the Rangers during a series that starts Friday in Anaheim.
“There isn’t anybody in here or anybody in the front office quitting,” catcher Jeff Mathis said. “They’re trying to do everything they can to put something together to give us a little fire. It makes you feel good. But we have to do it out there on the field too.”
They didn’t Sunday. The Angels’ Trevor Bell (1-2), making his first major league start since August, allowed 10 of the 18 batters he faced in 3 1/3 innings to reach base, with two of the outs he recorded coming on the basepaths after he gave up a hit.
Nevertheless, there was late drama after Hideki Matsui hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning and the Angels brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning against closer Neftali Feliz.
Hunter and Matsui opened the inning with singles to put runners on first and third with none out. Alberto Callaspo drove in a run with a fielder’s choice, but Feliz retired the next two batters to record his 28th save.
“Three out of four, they did what they had to do,” Hunter said. “They did their thing. We came to their house and they held it down.
“We didn’t break it down, so they have to come to us next week and hopefully the outcome is different.”
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