Sat May 17 01:16:01 2008

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Angels' Saunders stifles Dodgers for seventh win

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Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Joe Saunders pitched 7 1/3 strong innings en route to his seventh win of the season as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim topped the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2, in the opener of the three-game "Freeway Series" at Angels Stadium.

Saunders (7-1) held the Dodgers to two runs on five hits as the Angels snapped a two-game losing streak. Francisco Rodriguez worked a scoreless ninth for the league-leading 17th save.

Vladimir Guerrero knocked in a pair of runs for the Angels, while Garret Anderson went 2-for-4 with a run batted in. Maicer Izturis and Gary Matthews Jr. each went 2-for-4 and combined to score three runs.

Andre Ethier belted a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who had a two-game win streak snapped and lost for the sixth time in eight games. Hiroki Kuroda (1-3) took the loss after allowing four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over 6 1/3 frames, racking up five strikeouts.

Neither team could muster an offensive threat until the fourth, when Casey Kotchman laced a two-out ground-rule double to left. Erick Aybar then struck out, but catcher Gary Bennett couldn't hold on to the ball, then threw the ball away trying to retire Aybar at first, allowing Kotchman to come in with the game's first run.

The Angels added two more runs in the fifth, as Izturis reached on an infield single with one out, then Matthews singled to right to send Izturis to third -- while Matthews headed to second on the throw. Guerrero plated Izturis with a sacrifice fly, and Anderson increased the lead to 3-0 with a single to left.

Saunders kept the Dodgers off balance through six innings, but ran into trouble with two outs in the seventh. James Loney grounded a single through the right side of the infield, then Ethier finally got the Dodgers on the board with a long home run to the seats in right.

Izturis walked to lead off the bottom of the frame, and headed to third after Kuroda uncorked a pair of wild pitches. One out later, Guerrero hit a chopper to third, but Bennett couldn't hold on to Russell Martin's throw to the plate and Izturis scored for a 4-2 gap.

Saunders walked Bennett to start the eighth, and after retiring Juan Pierre on a ground ball, Scot Shields came on to retire the side. Rodriguez set the Dodgers down in order in the ninth to lock up the win.

Game Notes

Loney went 2-for-4 to extend his hit streak to nine games...Kuroda is winless in his last eight starts (three losses, five no decisions)...The Angels have won six straight and 15 of 18 over the Dodgers in Anaheim...The Angels send Ervin Santana (6-0) to the mound on Saturday against Chan Ho Park (1-0).