Rangers 4, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Left-hander Cole Hamels conceded just one run and three hits in six innings to post his ninth successive victory and lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in front of 38,106 at Angel Stadium.
Hamels (2-0) induced 12 groundouts, including six on three double plays, and finished with two walks and four strikeouts in establishing a personal best for successive wins. The left-hander had won eight straight from April 15 to May 28, 2012, with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kenny Rogers was the last Rangers starting pitcher to win nine consecutive games. Rogers did so between April 27 and June 17 in 2005.
Hamels and three relievers retired 10 of the final 11 Angels they faced, with right-hander Shawn Tolleson logging his second save.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 with two double and a home run, and the Rangers amassed 10 hits.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (0-2) took the loss. Richards, whose fastball reached 98 mph, struck out six and walked one in 6 2/3 innings but allowed four runs (two earned) and eight hits as the Angels sustained their fifth loss in six games.
The visitors had a chance to expand the leader later in the inning when Elvis Andrus, who hit a two-out single, tried to score on Ryan Rua's double to left-center field. But shortstop Andrelton Simmons, after catching left fielder Craig Gentry's throw, threw Andrus out at the plate.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister challenged home-plate umpire Mark Carlson's call, but video replay upheld Carlson's decision.
Los Angeles put the potential tying run in scoring position when Yunel Escobar walked and Gentry hit a high chopper down the third-base line with one out in the bottom of the sixth. But Mike Trout hit into a fielder's choice that eliminated Escobar at third base, then Albert Pujols popped out to end the threat.
Beltre broke a 1-1 in the top of the fourth by propelling a 95 mph fastball from Richards over the center-field fence for his first home run of the season and the 414th of his career. Beltre thus ties Darrell Evans for 49th place in career homers.
Texas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Delino DeShields began the game with a double down the left-field line, took third base when Rougned Odor lined out to right fielder Kole Calhoun and scored when Prince Fielder singled to center field.
But Los Angeles retaliated in the bottom of the inning with a run. Escobar hit a leadoff single then moved to second when Gentry walked. After both runners moved into scoring position when Trout grounded out, Pujols hit into a fielder's choice that brought Escobar home.
When Escobar scored, Pujols' registered the 1,700th RBI of his career and moved past Jim Thome into 24th place all time.
Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos fouled a pitch off his left forearm in the fifth and left the game. Chirinos had X-rays taken.
The Rangers added two unearned runs in the seventh to chase Richards. Andrus reached second base when third baseman Escobar threw nonchalantly past first baseman C.J. Cron. One out later, Andrus scored on Ryan Holaday's double down the left-field line, and Holaday came home on Odor's line-drive single with two outs.
NOTES: Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the first game at the Angels' ballpark, then called Anaheim Stadium, a 9-3 exhibition loss to the San Francisco Giants. ... Saturday also marked the seventh anniversary of Angels RHP Nick Adenhart's death in an early-morning car crash by a drunk driver. Hours earlier, Adenhart pitched six innings of shutout baseball in his season debut against the Oakland Athletics. ... Angels RF Kole Calhoun received his Gold Glove Award before the game. Calhoun compiled 11 assists and a .989 fielding percentage. ... Angels RHP Jered Weaver will make his first start of the season Sunday. ... Texas scratched RF Shin-Soo Choo 45 minutes before game time because of a strained right calf. RF Ryan Rua replaced him and batted eighth. ... The Rangers sent RHP Luke Jackson to Round Rock (AAA) on a rehabilitation assignment. ... Rangers 2B Rougned Odor his hit his first home run of the season on Friday night and has 16 since June 23, the second-most of any major-league second baseman in that period. ... Rangers RHP Yu Darvish threw two sets of 25 pitches in a bullpen session in Arlington, Texas, and is scheduled to throw live batting practice for the first time Wednesday.