Angels bullpen slams door on Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Los Angeles Angels held on to the lead this time and beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 Wednesday night at Globe Life Park.
After watching Texas rally to win the first two games of the series, the Angels' bullpen pitched three shutout innings to back starter Jered Weaver. Mike Trout's three-run home run gave Los Angeles a lead it wouldn't surrender.
The Rangers (90-63) had their magic number to clinch the American League West remain at two after finishing out a 3-3 homestand. Texas also holds a one-game lead on Cleveland (88-63) for the best record in the AL.
Weaver wasn't his sharpest, but he added a victory his career-long mastery of the Rangers. He went six innings, giving up four runs on six hits, while striking out six and walking two.
The veteran right-hander is 18-8 lifetime when facing Texas, the most wins in his career against any club. Weaver has also won his last five decisions over the Rangers.
The Angels (66-86) closed it out with a scoreless inning each from A.J. Achter, JC Ramirez and Andrew Bailey. That trio allowed only two hits.
Texas did make it interesting in its final at-bat. Elvis Andrus doubled with two outs and Bailey followed by hitting Jurickson Profar.
With the winning run at first, Bailey coaxed a fielder's choice from Carlos Gomez to nail down his fourth save.
Rangers starter Derek Holland (7-9) took the loss after his third straight sub-par outing, seemingly damaging his chances of being on the postseason roster for the first round. The lefty gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks in five innings.
Trout crushed his 28th homer in the fifth inning, a three-run shot to left that put Los Angeles up 5-1. Carlos Perez reached on an error to open the inning, and Derek Holland walked Yunel Escobar before Trout came to the plate.
The Rangers got all three runs back in the bottom of the frame, two on Carlos Beltran's home run to right. He has 28 long balls this season, six since joining Texas.
The Angels jumped ahead in the second as Gregorio Petit singled to right to score Andrelton Simmons. An extended rally was thwarted when C.J. Cron was gunned down trying to go first to third on the play for the second out.
Holland gave up another run in the third on Albert Pujols' single to plate Escobar, but the Angels again ran themselves out of a potentially bigger inning. Trout made the second out trying to steal third.
Profar led off the third with a triple to left-center that hit the wall just below the 407-foot marker. He scored on Nomar Mazara's squibber down the third base line to make it 2-1.
NOTES: The Rangers reached 90 victories faster than any time in franchise history, needing 152 games. The club record for wins is 96-66 in 2011. ... The Angels' last road series of the season is four games at Houston starting Thursday. The Astros lead the season series 11-1. ... Texas OF Nomar Mazara is the fourth rookie in franchise history with at least 20 home runs, joining Pete Incaviglia (30 in 1986), Mark Teixeira (26 in 2003) and Dave Hostetler (22 in 1982).