Super subs help Angels continue win streak

Joe Saunders and Dustin Moseley made the most of their appearances.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Joe Saunders and Dustin Moseley may not pitch again for the Los Angeles Angels until September, when the rosters are expanded. Until then, they can commiserate in the minors and talk about the week they contributed to the team's longest winning streak of the season.
Saunders pitched seven sharp innings in an emergency start for the ailing Kelvim Escobar and the Angels won their eighth straight, beating the Cleveland Indians 7-5 on Tuesday night. After the game, Sanders was sent back to Triple-A Salt Lake.
"I kind of had it in the back of my mind that I was probably going to get sent down after the game," the 25-year-old left-hander said after his first major league victory. "So it's basically one and done. But it was a good one, because I got my first win. Hopefully, there's many more."
The performance
Saunders (1-0) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and four hits, after going 10-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 19 starts with Salt Lake. A first-round draft pick in 2002, Saunders made his other two big league starts last season and allowed eight earned runs in 9 1/3 innings.
"After the third inning the nerves settled down a little bit and I just tried to settle down and keep the ball down," Saunders said. "I threw a lot of two-seamers down in the zone, hoping they'd hit it on the ground and my defense would turn the double play. And that's what they did."
Saunders struck out five, walked four and induced four of Cleveland's five double-play grounders. Escobar didn't start because of irritation in his right elbow.
"It's an honor to get called up, period," Saunders said. "I'm not sure what they have in store for me, so I just wanted to come up here and make the most of my opportunity. It's a little disconcerting to be sent right back down, but this rotation is so good, I'm not going to crack it unless someone gets hurt. I know that and they know that."
The Angels handed the Indians their fifth straight loss by basically following the same script as Monday night, when Moseley was called up from Salt Lake for one day and beat Cleveland 10-5 in his major league debut. The right-hander was making a spot start for the injured Jered Weaver.
Fulfilled duty
"There's a little pressure because this team has been doing so well without us," Saunders said. "Me and Moseley really tried to come in here and not do anything wrong. We both kept the team in the game and let our defense make the plays behind us."
The win was the Angels' 13th in 14 games, putting them three games over .500 (48-45) for the first time this season and keeping them one-half game behind first-place Oakland. The winning streak matches their longest of last season, when they won their second straight AL West title.
"They're doing pretty good right now," Cleveland shortstop Jhonny Peralta said. "They threw two pitchers at us that they called up from Triple-A and those guys threw pretty good. [Sanders] has a good fastball and sinker and changeup, and he used them all tonight. They've got a good pitcher there."