Angels tip Bucs to sweep series
Erick Aybar singled home the winning run in the 10th for a 4-3 win.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — For the second time in three days, the Los Angeles Angels beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in extra innings with a “ground-run double” that wasn’t.
Erick Aybar singled home the winning run in the 10th and Jose Molina drove in two runs, leading the Angels to a 4-3 victory on Sunday and a three-game sweep that kept them eight games ahead of the pack in the AL West.
“Every guy in here has the ability to step up and get the job done, and as we’ve seen lately, everybody’s been contributing to all the wins,” second baseman Howie Kendrick said.
“That’s one great thing about our organization. Even the guys who aren’t everyday players, when they get spot starts they get the job done.”
Pirates closer Matt Capps (3-4), working his second inning of relief, gave up a one-out double to Kendrick before intentionally walking Kendry Morales.
Gary Matthews Jr., who did not start the game because of tightness in his left hamstring, batted for Molina and flied out on the next pitch.
Fourth straight win
Aybar, starting at shortstop while Orlando Cabrera was used as the DH, lined a 1-0 pitch into the right field corner that bounced over the short fence, giving the AL West leaders their fourth straight victory.
Chris Bootcheck (2-1) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
On Friday night, Cabrera ended the game in the 11th with an RBI single that bounced over the short fence in the left field corner, but didn’t bother to touch second before the celebration began.
Pittsburgh has lost five in a row, matching its longest skid this season.
Josh Phelps, making his Pirates debut as a DH after getting claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Friday, singled his first two times up.
But when he came up in the seventh with the bases loaded and Pittsburgh trailing 3-2, he looked at a called third strike from Scot Shields for the third out.
Gave up tying run
Shields pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, but closer Francisco Rodriguez gave up the tying run in the ninth and was charged with his second blown save in 24 attempts this season.
The right-hander retired his first two batters before walking Adam LaRoche. Pinch-runner Rajai Davis advanced to third on two wild pitches with Xavier Nady at the plate, and Nady lined a 3-1 pitch to left field to score Davis.
The Pirates managed only one run in the fifth despite loading the bases with none out.
After Jason Bay looked at a third strike, Jack Wilson scored when Bartolo Colon walked LaRoche on a borderline pitch that plate umpire Alfonso Marquez said missed the inside corner.