Angels beat Orioles 9-5 to end 4-game skid

[June 13, 2013]  BALTIMORE (AP) -- Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded triple and Albert Pujols homered during a six-run seventh inning, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-5 Wednesday to stop a four-game losing streak.

Los Angeles trailed 4-2 before getting five hits -- three for extra bases -- and two walks in the seventh against three pitchers.

Hank Conger homered, Pujols had three hits and Howie Kendrick contributed two doubles to help the Angels avert a three-game sweep and put a positive finish on a 2-4 trip that began in Boston.

Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 21st homer for Baltimore, 0-5 this season when trying to complete ment a three- or four-game sweep. The Orioles next host the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox in a four-game series beginning Thursday night.

Baltimore's Nate McLouth had his run of 19 consecutive successful steal attempts snapped in the third inning when he lost his footing and toppled off second base after reaching the bag ahead of the throw. He was tagged out by Aybar, ending the longest active steals streak in the majors and third-best in Orioles history.

Davis gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead in the fourth against Jerome Williams (5-2), ending a 1-for-17 skid with his first home run and RBI since June 2. Adam Jones made it 4-2 in the sixth with his 14th homer, his third in four games.

The lead vanished in the seventh. Alberto Callaspo singled and Brad Hawpe drew a four-pitch walk, prompting the exit of starter Jason Hammel. Pedro Strop gave up an infield hit that loaded the bases for Aybar, who hit a liner into the gap in right-center. As Aybar slid into third, the relay throw from Ryan Flaherty bounced out of play, allowing Aybar to score for a 6-4 lead.

A groundout, a walk and Pujols' 11th homer followed, and Strop (0-3) exited to jeers from the crowd of 25,964. Strop, who starred as Baltimore's setup man last year, has a 7.58 ERA after yieldiing nine runs in his last five innings.

The Orioles scored an unearned run in the eighth, and Los Angeles tallied an unearned run in the ninth.

Williams, who has jockeyed from the rotation to the bullpen this season, allowed four runs over six innings in his seventh start of 2013.

Baltimore went up 2-0 in the first when Nick Markakis and Jones delivered run-scoring groundouts.

Conger hit a solo shot in the third, his fourth homer of the year and third in his last five starts. The drive was the 69th in the 22-year history of Camden Yards to land on Eutaw Street, beyond the right-field wall.

Josh Hamilton singled with two outs in the fourth and scored on Kendrick's double.

NOTES: The Angels have Thursday off before opening a three-game series against the Yankees at home. LA manager Mike Scioscia said he will skip Joe Blanton (1-10) in the rotation and start C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson and Jered Weaver. ... Machado extended his hitting streak to 10 games, one short of his career high. He also ended a season-long run of 11 straight games without getting at least two hits. ... Angels 1B Mark Trumbo did not start, but entered in the seventh as a defensive replacement and has played in all 66 games this year. ... Orioles LHP Wei Yin-Chen (oblique) is scheduled to throw off a half-mound on Thursday in Sarasota, Fla. If all goes well, he will pitch off a full mound Saturday.

[Associated Press; By DAVID GINSBURG]

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