Angels 8, Orioles 4

[August 08, 2015]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Catcher Chris Iannetta and pinch-hitter C.J. Cron drove in two runs apiece to lead the Los Angeles Angels to an 8-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night in front of 42,578 at Angel Stadium.

The Angels used their third win in four games to move within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West.

Cron hit the Angels' first pinch-hit home run of the season. Center fielder Mike Trout added his 33rd homer and finished with two hits. Shortstop Erick Aybar, second baseman Johnny Giavotella and designated hitter David Murphy each added two hits to the hosts' 13-hit attack.

Right-hander Fernando Salas earned the win in relief. Salas (2-1) pitched only one-third of an inning and struck out the only batter he faced. Right-hander Cory Rasmus earned his first major-league save.

Third baseman Manny Machado had three of the Orioles' 12 hits. Second baseman Jonathan Schoop and catcher Matt Wieters hit home runs.

But right-hander Kevin Gausman suffered his third loss in his last four decisions. Gausman (2-3), whose fastball reached 99 mph, allowed six runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out four.

After allowing the Orioles to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning, the Angels sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and used five hits to score three runs and move ahead, 6-4.

Catcher Chris Iannetta doubled off the warning track in left-center field to bring two runs home, then scored when left fielder David De Jesus lined a single to right field. Los Angeles would load the bases with two out but first baseman Albert Pujols popped out.

Baltimore broke a 3-3 in the top of the sixth when Wieters hit a solo home run, his fifth of the season, into the Orioles' bullpen in left-center field against left-hander Andrew Heaney. The visitors chased Heaney after Schoop singled and took third base on designated hitter Junior Lake's double.

But right-hander Fernando Salas threw a called third strike past left fielder Nolan Reimold to end the threat. In 5 2/3 innings, Heaney conceded two home runs among the 10 hits he allowed, yielded four earned runs and a walk and struck out two.

Center fielder Mike Trout, celebrating his 24th birthday, gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first. Trout propelled a 97 mph fastball from Gausman over the center-field fence for his 33rd home run of the season, leading the major leagues.

In his four seasons in the major leagues, Trout has hit a home run on his birthday three times.

Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.

The Orioles had a chance to move ahead in the third but settled for one run. After starting the inning with an infield single, Reimold tried to take third base on a single by right fielder Gerardo Parra. But Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun threw Reimold out.

Parra reached second on Calhoun's throw, then tied the score when center fielder Adam Jones lined a single off the center-field wall. Jones tried to extend his hit into a double but Trout threw him out.

Baltimore took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth on Schoop's eighth home run of the season, a two-run drive down the left-field line. Los Angeles tied the score in the bottom of the fourth on designated hitter David Murphy's run-scoring single and Giavotella's RBI double, which sent Murphy to third with two out.

But Gausman kept both runners at bay by making Iannetta fly out.

NOTES: Baltimore promoted OF Junior Lake from Triple-A Norfolk and designated OF Travis Snider for assignment. Lake started Friday night as the Orioles' designated hitter. ... The Orioles also activated RHP Jason Garcia from the 60-day disabled list Thursday and optioned RHP Mychal Givens to Double-A Bowie. ... Baltimore manager Buck Showalter passed Hall of Famer Ned Hanlon and moved into 31st place in career victories. Showalter now has 1,314 after the Orioles' 7-3 road win

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