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 Right fielder Kole Calhoun had four RBIs, one of seven Angels with
run-scoring hits, and Los Angeles finished off a three-game sweep of
the Texas Rangers with a 12-6 victory Sunday.
Calhoun capped a big weekend by going 2-for-5, including a three-run
home run in the Angels' four-run fifth. He did his part to
jump-start a sluggish offense and make a winner out of left-hander
C.J. Wilson (7-6).
The Angels, winners of seven of their past eight games, entered the
series with a minus-2 run differential but left Texas at plus-23
after outscoring the Rangers 33-8. Los Angeles had 47 hits in the
series, including 20 with runners in position.
"It seemed everybody scored a run or had a hit," Wilson said.
"That's what we really need is a wide contribution. When you can
stretch the lineup and score runs with the 5 through 9 guys (in the
batting order), that helps a lot.
"We've been playing good baseball. We're playing the type of
baseball we need to play deep into the season."
For the series, Calhoun went 6-for-14 with two doubles, two home
runs and 10 RBIs. Calhoun, though, was merely one of a number of
Angels who clobbered Texas pitching.
First baseman C.J. Cron matched a career high with four hits Sunday,
including a run-scoring double in the fifth, his seventh RBI in two
days and eighth in the series.
Second baseman Johnny Giavotella had two hits and two RBIs, as did
designated hitter Albert Pujols, who connected on his AL-leading
25th home run in the fourth for Los Angeles (44-38).
Shortstop Erick Aybar, who collected his ninth hit of the series,
center fielder Mike Trout and third baseman David Freese each had an
RBI. The Angels finished with 15 hits.
"For a stretch this year, we've struggled with situational hitting,"
Scioscia said. "We did a good job in this series moving runners. It
was a good offensive series for us."
Wilson won for the fourth time in his past five outings, giving up
three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over
six innings.
Texas designated hitter Prince Fielder, a .444 career hitter against
Wilson, had two more hits, including a solo home run in the second.
The Rangers' offense entered having scored two or fewer runs in 11
of the previous 16 games, but it finally showed a little life by
producing two runs in both the sixth and the seventh.
First baseman Mitch Moreland and shortstop Elvis Andrus had RBI
singles in the sixth, and second baseman Rougned Odor wound up with
three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the seventh. Texas had
11 hits, but only three in the first five innings.
Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis (8-4) gave up 10 runs on 12 hits
and two walks over four innings.
Lewis' outing mirrored Texas' struggles in the rotation, which
sustained some welts over the three-game series. The Rangers (41-42)
saw their starters yield 26 hits and post an 8.33 ERA in the three
losses.
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"We hit some balls hard all series long that were hit right at
fielders," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Everything they hit
found the outfield grass.
"I don't get concerned. We're going to challenge our guys to get
better. I'm not concerned. We have a group of players ... they'll
find a way."
The Angels scored three in the first on run-scoring singles from
Calhoun and Pujols plus Aybar's sacrifice fly.
Two runs in each of the second and third gave Wilson a healthy
cushion.
Giavotella accounted for an RBI in each inning with a sacrifice fly
and a base hit. Trout added a run-scoring single in the second, and
Freese, who entered the game with hits in four of his previous eight
at-bats in the series, drove in Cron with the Angels' seventh run.
The pile-on continued. Pujols drove Lewis' 3-2 pitch 378 feet into
the left field seats in the fourth, and the Angels struck for four
more in the fifth.
Cron's double scored left fielder Matt Joyce, and with one out,
Calhoun cleared the bases with a three-run home run to center,
giving Wilson a 12-1 lead.
"Pujols and Trout have obviously carried our offense all year, but
Cron had a great series, Aybar had an enormous series, Calhoun swung
the bat well," Wilson said.
"When the NTP offense -- the not Trout-Pujols -- are going, that's
going to spread it all out. We're trending in the right direction."
NOTES: Angels OF Mike Trout was selected to start his third
consecutive All-Star Game. Trout, who will be making his fourth
appearance in the game, joins Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew and Vladimir
Guerrero as the only Angels to earn at least three consecutive
fan-elected starts. ... Texas activated OF Delino DeShields off the
disabled list before the game and optioned INF Hanser Alberto to
Triple-A Round Rock. DeShields hit leadoff and went 2-for-4 with two
runs. ... Rangers OF Josh Hamilton did not play for a second
consecutive day due to a sore groin. He is day-to-day, manager Jeff
Banister said.
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