Andruw Jones hits 3 homers as Rangers beat Angels

[July 09, 2009]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Andruw Jones hit three home runs in his first three at-bats and the Texas Rangers routed the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 on Wednesday night.

The Rangers got to Angels starter Ervin Santana early, with Jones hitting home runs off him in the first and third, the latter sailing over the left field pole to give Texas a 4-0 lead.

Jones added a solo shot in the fifth off reliever Rich Thompson.

With a chance to tie the major league record for home runs in a game, Jones popped out in the sixth against Kevin Jepsen and struck out against Jason Bulger in the ninth.

In all the Rangers hit five homers as Tyler Teagarden and Marlon Byrd also connected. That matched a season high for the Rangers, who regained the divisional lead for the first time since June 26.

It's the second career three-homer game for Jones, who last did it September 25, 2007, against Philadelphia. He's also the second player to hit three homers in a game in the last two days. Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox went deep three times against Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Jones also had a three-run homer in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Tuesday.

Vicente Padilla (7-4) struck out four and gave up one run in six-plus innings before leaving the game because of a bruised right palm. Pitching on eight days rest, Padilla gave up seven hits against the short-handed Angels, who were missing center fielder Torii Hunter and slugger Vladimir Guerrero because of injuries.

Jason Grilli, Eddie Guardado and Darren O'Day combined to shut out the Angels over the final three innings.

Bobby Abreu drove in the solo run for Los Angeles, which has lost all three series against the Rangers this season.

The oft injured Santana -- he's had two DL stints this season -- has failed to show the All-Star form of 2008 when he won 16 games.

He had trouble in every inning but the second and allowed Omar Vizquel to score in the third on a wild pitch.

Santana (1-5) then gave up the homer to Jones, a first-pitch hit that was driven over the left center field wall into the grassy knoll alongside the rocks in center field.

NOTES: The last Rangers player to hit three home runs was Brad Wilkerson on July 3, 2007. ... Hunter and Guerrero underwent MRI tests on Wednesday morning for their injuries. Hunter, who is out with a strained adductor, could miss the All-Star game in St. Louis. "It's cloudy," Hunter said, "hopefully the next couple of days we'll see some signs of healing." ... Angels 1B Kendry Morales extended his career-high 12-game hitting streak when he singled in the second.

[Associated Press; By SOLANGE REYNER]

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