Nava helps Angels down O's, extend streak
BALTIMORE -- Los Angeles' Daniel Nava had a pair of RBIs and leaping grab to rob Manny Machado of a homer, helping the Angels extend their winning streak to a season-tying high four games with a 9-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
The Orioles lost six of their past eight matchups, but still lead the American League East.
Los Angeles' Matt Shoemaker (4-9) allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks over five innings. It was his first win since May 27. Yunel Escobar had an RBI-single in the second inning, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. Los Angeles got RBIs from seven players.
Angels first baseman C.J. Cron suffered a fracture in his left hand after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and will see a specialist on Monday.
Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop each homered for the Orioles, who fell to 31-14 at Camden Yards -- still the best home record in the majors. Mark Trumbo had an RBI single in the sixth and his league-leading 27th home run in the ninth.
Baltimore's Ubaldo Jimenez (5-9), who has struggled for much of the season, was named the starter just hours prior to the game. Jimenez struggled early and often and might have pitched his way out of the rotation. He allowed five runs on five hits with two walks over just 11/3 innings, boosting his ERA to 7.38. It wasn't even the shortest outing of the season for Jimenez, who lasted just a third of an inning June 12 at Toronto.
The Angels took an early lead off Jimenez in the first when Kole Calhoun walked and scored on back-to-back singles by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. A fielder's choice by Cron scored the second run.
Jones answered for the Orioles in the bottom half of the inning with his second lead-off homer of the season.
The Angels continued to take advantage of Jimenez's struggles in the second. An RBI single by Escobar provided a 3-1 lead and Calhoun provided another run with a liner to right that ended Jimenez's poor outing. Mike Wright entered and allowed a sacrifice fly to Trout that boosted the margin to 5-1.
Wright, who was promoted from Triple-A earlier in the day, also could not lock down the Angels' lineup, and a single by Jett Bandy made the score 6-1 in the third. Back-to-back errors by Baltimore shortstop J.J. Hardy in the fourth opened the door to another pair of runs for the Angels on a fielder's choice by Cron and a sacrifice fly by Nava.
Schoop's homer in the bottom half finally gave the hometown fans a reason to cheer.
NOTES: Angels C Geovany Soto could be activated as early as Saturday, manager Mike Scioscia said. Soto has been on the disabled list since May 18 with a right lateral meniscus injury. He has been rehabbing at Triple-A Salt Lake City. ... Orioles 3B Pedro Alvarez came off the bereavement list on Friday. In a corresponding position player move, OF Dariel Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. ... Baltimore RHP Kevin Gausman could throw out of the bullpen on Sunday to get some work before the All-Star break. He is 1-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 15 starts this season but has been hampered by poor run support.