Angels rally for 2 in 9th, beat Twins 6-5 in 10

[July 24, 2009]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Howie Kendrick's single ricocheted off second base in the ninth inning to drive in Los Angeles' tying run, and Mike Napoli's run-scoring double in the 10th capped the Angels' 31st comeback victory, 6-5 over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Los Angeles, which leads the majors in come-from-behind wins, won its sixth straight game after a two-run, two-out rally in the ninth off All-Star closer Joe Nathan, who had converted 20 straight save chances and hadn't even allowed a run since May 15.

Napoli, who scored the tying run in the ninth, ripped a long drive to the wall in right-center off Jesse Crain (2-4), setting off an infield celebration for a club that's getting used to such theatrics. Los Angeles has won 10 of 11 since the weekend before the All-Star break, increasing its lead in the AL West over Texas to 3 1/2 games.

Brian Fuentes (1-2) pitched the 10th inning in the opener of a seven-game homestand for the Angels, who have made comebacks in 10 of their last 13 victories -- although few were more unlikely than their rally against Nathan, who walked Bobby Abreu and hit Napoli with a pitch early in the ninth.

After Gary Matthews Jr. cut Minnesota's lead to 5-4 with an RBI single, Kendrick's grounder up the middle eluded Nathan and then hit second base, preventing the Twins from making a forceout or a play at the plate as Napoli scampered home.

Nathan, who had made 24 straight scoreless appearances, has blown three saves all season.

Chone Figgins led off the 10th with his third hit. He scored moments later on a long drive by Napoli, who began the night as Los Angeles' designated hitter to rest his legs, but took over at catcher in the ninth.

Jason Kubel homered and drove in three runs for the Twins, who rebounded from a 16-1 thrashing in Oakland one night earlier, but still lost for the fifth time in seven games. Joe Mauer had three hits and two RBIs for the Twins, who seemed ticketed for a hard-fought win after stranding 13 runners in the first nine innings.

Minnesota went up 3-0 before most fans had settled in their seats, with Mauer hitting an RBI double before scoring on Kubel's 17th homer. Angels starter Jered Weaver didn't allow another hit until the sixth, when Kubel again drove home Mauer with a single.

The Angels' small-ball skills eventually wore out Minnesota starter Scott Baker, but didn't result in a tying run. Baker stranded seven runners in the final three frames of his five-inning start, yielding six hits and three walks.

NOTES: New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez, the former USC star who grew up in Orange County, threw out the ceremonial first pitch wearing a No. 6 Angels jersey. His toss wasn't even close to a strike. ... Twins SS Nick Punto snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a sixth-inning single. ... The Twins swept a three-game series from the Angels in Minneapolis in April. ... The Angels unveiled the logo for next season's All-Star game, to be held July 13, 2010 at Angel Stadium.

[Associated Press; By GREG BEACHAM]

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