Figgins leads Angels over Dodgers 3-1

[May 23, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Chone Figgins hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning and saved two runs with a sparkling play at third base, leading the Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Dodgers in their first interleague meeting this season.

Kendry Morales and Gary Matthews Jr. opened the eighth with singles against Cory Wade (0-3). Howie Kendrick tried to bunt the runners over, but Wade got the force at third. The right-hander then walked pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis and Figgins followed with his clutch hit to right field.

Darren Oliver (1-0) allowed one hit over 1 1-3 innings, stranding runners at third base in the sixth and seventh. Jose Arredondo pitched a perfect eighth and Brian Fuentes had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.

The Dodgers, who came in with an NL-leading 232 runs scored, stranded a runner at third base in five of the first seven innings.

The defending NL West champs, who still have the best record in baseball at 29-14, are a major league-worst 20-44 in interleague play since the start of the 2005 season.

The Angels opened the scoring in the fourth when Torii Hunter doubled and scored from third on a two-out infield single by Matthews.

The Dodgers tied it in the bottom half on James Loney's RBI single, but Casey Blake was robbed of a potential two-run double later that inning when Figgins made a diving stop of his grounder behind the bag and stepped on third for the force on Loney.

In the previous interleague series between the teams, also at Dodger Stadium, all three games were won by shutouts - two by the Dodgers. One of them was started by Jered Weaver, a 1-0 Angels loss in which the Dodgers became the fifth team in modern history to win a game without getting a hit. But the game didn't qualify as a no-hitter because the Dodgers didn't bat in the ninth.

In the rematch, Weaver gave up a single to his first batter, but Juan Pierre was tagged out in a rundown after the right-hander picked him off. The inning ended with center fielder Hunter making a running catch of Russell Martin's extra-base bid against the fence in left-center with runners at second and third.

Clayton Kershaw, who made a career-high 112 pitches last Sunday against the Florida and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, allowed a run and four hits over five innings against the Angels and was lifted after 97 pitches.

Facing the Angels for the first time, the 21-year-old left-hander walked three batters during a 36-pitch first inning and escaped the bases-loaded jam unscathed when Morales grounded into a forceout.

Weaver, coming off a complete-game loss at Texas last Saturday, allowed a run and eight hits over five innings before he was lifted for a pinch hitter. Bobby Abreu batted for Weaver with two out in the sixth and flied out with runners at second and third.

Notes:@ Hunter, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, extended his errorless streak to 200 games dating back to his last miscue on Aug. 31, 2007. ... The Angels' Erick Aybar was retired twice on attempted sacrifice bunts that were caught on the fly. ... Friday was the sixth anniversary of the day the Disney Co. sold the Angels to Arte Moreno. ... The Dodgers placed reserve OF Xavier Paul on the 15-day disabled list because of a skin infection on his left leg, and promoted OF Jamie Hoffman from Triple-A Albuquerque. Hoffman made his big league debut in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter for reliever Ramon Troncoso and flied out to left. ... Dodgers 2B Orlando Hudson extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.

[Associated Press]

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