Angels 7, Twins 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels scored five runs in the sixth inning to break open a tight game and rode the pitching of starter Matt Shoemaker and the bullpen to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-0 Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
It was the Angels' sixth win in a row and 16th in 19 games as they improved to a season-high 13 games over .500 (53-40) and maintained their two-game lead over second-place Houston in the American League West.
The Angels didn't have center fielder Mike Trout for the first time this season, because their star was out with a sore left heel. It didn't matter. They knocked out 13 hits, including a three-run homer from catcher Chris Iannetta and four hits by first baseman C.J. Cron.
With the imminent return of starter Jered Weaver from injury and the impressive four-start performance by Weaver's replacement Andrew Heaney, Shoemaker is in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. But he responded with one of his best starts of the season.
Shoemaker (5-7) gave up two hits in six scoreless innings and struck out 10, tying a career high. He has been inconsistent this season after last year's 16-win campaign, having four starts in which he's given up at least five earned runs and three starts in which he failed to last five innings.
Angels relievers Fernando Salas (one inning) and Jose Alvarez (two innings) combined for three perfect innings.
Starter Kyle Gibson (8-7) was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits and one walk in five-plus innings for the Twins, who fell 6 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Royals.
Minnesota went into the All-Star break having won six of seven games, but they have lost three of four after the break.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead against Gibson in the second inning after shortstop Erick Aybar, hitting in the cleanup spot, led off with a single. He went to third on a single by Cron, then scored on Iannetta's two-out single.
Aybar was in the middle of things again in the third inning when the Angels increased their lead. The Angels loaded the bases with none out for designated hitter Albert Pujols, but Gibson struck him out.
Aybar followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring center fielder Daniel Robertson to put the Angels up 2-0.
Meanwhile, Shoemaker was sharp in the early innings. He didn't allow a hit until designated hitter Eduardo Nunez led off the fifth inning with a single. But on the next pitch, Shoemaker got center fielder Aaron Hicks to hit into a double play.
NOTES: Angels CF Mike Trout was not in the starting lineup for the first time this season after starting the club's first 92 games. Trout has a sore left heel, something he experienced after playing both games of Monday's doubleheader against the Red Sox. Trout said he expects to be back in the lineup Wednesday. ... Angels 1B Albert Pujols originally was scheduled to have a day off, but when he found out Trout was out of the lineup, he convinced manager Mike Scioscia to put him in the lineup. Pujols started as the DH. ... The Twins went winless against the Angels last season, going 0-7. The last win at Angel Stadium was nearly two years ago to the day -- July 23, 2013. ... Twins RF Torii Hunter entered the game hitting .328 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs in Twins wins, and just .162 with one homer and nine RBIs in Twins losses. ... INF Miguel Sano, out since Saturday with a sore right ankle, was not in the starting lineup but is hoping to return Wednesday.