Things get heated in Angels’ 5-4 loss to the Rangers

Rookie Nomar Mazara hit his 20th homer in another testy game with multiple ejections and the Texas Rangers moved closer to their second consecutive AL West title by beating the Angels, 5-4, on Tuesday night.

Texas (90-62) cut its magic number to two to clinch the seventh division title in franchise history.

Mazara hit a 438-foot drive off rookie right-hander Daniel Wright (0-4) just beyond the Rangers bullpen in right-center, a two-run shot in the fourth that put them up 4-3. Mitch Moreland added an RBI single an inning later after two batters were hit by pitches.

Seattle and Houston, which started the day tied for second in the AL West, played separate games on the West Coast later Tuesday night. The Mariners and Astros are both scheduled to play day games Wednesday before the Rangers’ series finale against the last-place Angels that night.

Angels left-hander Brett Oberholtzer and manager Mike Scioscia were ejected when Elvis Andrus was hit by a pitch in the eighth, an inning after both benches had been warned when Rangers reliever Keona Kela threw a pitch that went behind the head of Andrelton Simmons.

Andrus was the third Texas batter hit by a pitcher after Mike Trout was hit by a pitch in the Angels second.

In the Ranger’s 3-2 series-opening victory Monday night, manager Jeff Banister (arguing a replay review) and Moreland (questioning a called third strike) were tossed early.

Nick Martinez (2-3) worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and the right-hander made a spectacular play in the fifth, when he reached behind his back for a no-look snag of Simmons’ hard liner and turned it into a double play.

Sam Dyson worked the ninth for his 35th save in 40 chances.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour »

Once Martinez realized the ball was in his glove, he leisurely tossed to first base to complete the double play before a fist pump while a huge smile took over his face.

Simmons threw both of his hands up in disbelief and then put them on his hips as Scioscia shook his head in the Angels dugout. Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre mouthed “Wow!” when watching the replay on the big video boards.

There was a short stoppage of play in the Rangers seventh when third-base coach Spike Owen walked toward the Angels dugout and had words with a clearly agitated Scioscia. Umpires and Banister got between them before play resumed.

MORE ANGELS NEWS

Garrett Richards throws off a mound, providing a ray of light in Angels’ gloomy season

Around the Horn: Seager brothers make history

Albert Pujols has plantar fasciitis, but plans to play out season