Tue Apr 15 17:57:07 2008

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Matthews heavenly as Angels defeat Rangers

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Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Gary Matthews' bases-clearing double in the sixth inning was the big blow as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim rallied from an early four-run deficit and downed the Texas Rangers, 7-4, to cap a brief two-game sweep.

Casey Kotchman hit a two-run home run for the Angels, who won their third straight. Starting pitcher Dustin Moseley was ineffective for the Angels, giving up seven hits and four runs in four-plus innings. Darren Oliver (1-0) tossed 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief, scattering three hits to get the win.

Francisco Rodriguez worked around two walks in the ninth for his fifth save.

Michael Young went 3-for-5 and knocked in a run for the Rangers, who lost starter Kevin Millwood after five innings with a bruised left shin, and dropped their fifth straight. Millwood gave up nine hits and four runs in five innings, and Josh Rupe (0-1) let up three runs with four walks in two innings of relief to take the loss.

Staked to an early 4-0 lead, the Rangers were on track to end their skid, but the game fell apart in the middle three frames. It started in the third when Kotchman belted a two-run homer to right with one out, cutting the deficit in half. A none-on, two-out rally of three straight singles by Jeff Mathis, Erick Aybar, and Chone Figgins produced another run, as Figgins singled in Mathis to make it a one-run game.

LA touched Millwood again in the fifth, as Vladimir Guerrero and Garret Anderson laced consecutive one-out doubles, with Guerrero coming home on Anderson's two-base hit to tie the game at 4-4.

Millwood, who was hit in the left leg by a comebacker from Maicer Izturis in the second, departed due to the injury after five innings. Rupe didn't fare any better against the Angels offense in the sixth. A leadoff walk to Izturis, an Aybar single and an intentional walk to Figgins loaded the bases for Matthews. The Angels right fielder ripped a double to left-center, plating all three runners as LA took a 7-4 edge.

Rodriguez issued a free pass to Josh Hamilton to start the ninth, but Hamilton was caught stealing second for the second out of the inning. Hank Blalock walked, but pinch-hitter Jason Botts fanned to end the game.

Texas built its early lead against the Angels and Moseley. Milton Bradley doubled in a run in the first, and Ian Kinsler plated another run with a sacrifice fly in the second. Young followed Kinsler with an RBI single to center. David Murphy's sac fly in the third made it a 4-0 game.

Game Notes

The Rangers pounded out 10 hits, but left 11 on base...Angels hitters only struck out once. Millwood fanned Kotchman in the second inning...Attendance was 15,595.