Sat Aug 30 01:00:16 2008

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Santana, Angels edge Rangers

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Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Ervin Santana threw eight excellent innings, and Garret Anderson hit a two-run home run, as the Los Angeles Angels took a 3-1 win over Texas, in the second of four games with the Rangers.

Santana (14-5) gave up the one run on five hits and a walk, and struck out seven to win his third decision in a row. Francisco Rodriguez threw a perfect ninth to pick up his 52nd save of the season.

Sean Rodriguez had two hits, while Juan Rivera drove in a run for the Angels, who have won three of four and extended their lead in the AL West over the Rangers to 17 games.

Dustin Nippert (1-4) made his second start of the season and was touched for three runs on five hits and a pair of walks in 5 1/3 frames. He also struck out seven.

Milton Bradley drove in the lone run for Texas, which has dropped two straight after a three-game win streak.

The Rangers got a run in the fourth inning when Michael Young led off with a double and, two batters later, scored on Bradley's single. Nippert, meanwhile, held up the lead by giving up just two singles through the first five innings.

But in the sixth, Chone Figgins hit a one-out single. Anderson followed by blasting a pitch left up over the right field wall. Mark Teixeira then singled before Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter walked to load the bases and end Nippert's outing.

Warner Madrigal entered and gave up a sacrifice fly to Rivera to put the Angels up 3-1, before getting out of the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Hank Blalock led off with a double for the Rangers. Marlon Byrd then blasted a long fly ball just to slight left-center field that likely would have gone over the wall if not for Hunter, who timed his jump perfectly to catch the ball before it crossed over.

Blalock, though, tagged and advanced to third on the play before Santana got both Nelson Cruz and Gerald Laird to fly out. Santana was perfect in the eighth, and Rodriguez struck out two in the ninth en route to ending the contest.

Game Notes

Figgins extended his hitting streak to nine games...Anderson batted in the second spot of LA's lineup, the first time he batted there since September 14, 1999...On Friday, the Rangers recalled pitcher Luis Mendoza from Triple-A Oklahoma on Friday, and optioned pitcher Bill White to Single-A Bakersfield.