AL: TEXAS (52-66) at LA ANGELS (69-48) <h3>Angels look to stay hot against Rangers</h3> <div class="pre">Texas (61-72) at LA Angels (79-54) 10:05 pm EDT</div> ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheimwill look to continue their winning ways when they return homefor a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday. The Angels open a 10-game homestand against the Rangers beforeplaying the Oakland Athletics and the Cleveland Indians. Theyhave been the best team in baseball at home, posting a 44-20record at Angel Stadium this season. Los Angeles has won four consecutive games - including a threegame sweep of the Seattle Mariners (73-59), who are second inthe American League West Division. The Angels have now extendedtheir cushion in the AL West to 5 1/2 games. Joe Saunders (7-2, 3.62 ERA) will look to extend the Angelswinning streak when he takes the mound. Saunders had a roughstart his last time out, allowing a season-high five runs onnine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The righthander, who is 3-2 overhis last five starts, struck out two and walked two, losing 9-2against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Vicente Padilla (4-9, 6.24) will counter Saunders when he toesthe rubber for the Rangers. Padilla had his best outing of theseason during his last start on Sunday, surrendering just onerun on five hits while striking out three over six innings, asthe Rangers handed the Mariners a 5-3 setback. Padilla is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA against the Angels this season,with both starts coming before June 21 when he suffered a righttriceps inflammation which caused him to miss nearly two months.For his career, the 29-year-old Padilla is 3-2 with a 4.64 ERAin eight appearances - seven starts - against Los Angeles.
AL: TEXAS (61-73) at LA ANGELS (80-54) <h3>Escobar goes for fifth straight win</h3> <div class="pre">Texas (61-73) at LA Angels (80-54) 3:55 pm EDT</div> ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - Hoping to avoid yet anotherlate-inning thriller, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continuetheir three-game set with the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The Angels, who notched their 15th win in their final at-bat inFriday's 7-6 victory in 10 innings, rallied from a deficit enroute to a win for the 32nd time this season. As a result, theAngels own the major's best record and a 6 1/2-game lead overSeattle (73-60) in the American League West. If recent history repeats itself, Kelvim Escobar (15-6, 2.77ERA) will be able to help Anaheim avoid another extra-inningaffair as he is 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA over his last four outings.In Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, he permittedone run and six hits over eight innings. In 32 lifetime appearances - 14 starts - against the Rangers,the righthander is 4-8 with a 4.01 ERA. However, he is 2-0 witha 1.77 ERA in three starts against Texas this season. One of the Rangers' top pitching prospects, 24-year-old EdinsonVolquez (NR), will be recalled from Class AAA Oklahoma to makehis season debut. He has pitched well at three minor leaguestops in the Rangers' organization this season, compiling a 14-6record with a 3.67 ERA in 26 starts, including a 6-1 mark witha 1.41 ERA at Oklahoma. The righthander has made 14 appearances - 11 starts - over thelast two seasons at the major league level, going 1-10 with a9.20 ERA. Against the Angels, he is 0-3 with a 11.57 ERA infour career appearances, including two starts.
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">TEXAS AT LA ANGELS -- LINEUPS TEXAS LA ANGELS AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Ian Kinsler 2B .259 17 50 Gary Matthews Jr CF .263 17 70 Ramon Vazquez 3B .243 7 25 Orlando Cabrera SS .310 8 75 Michael Young SS .305 7 69 Vladimir Guerrero RF .327 22 109 Marlon Byrd CF .305 6 55 Garret Anderson LF .287 11 58 Brad Wilkerson 1B .236 18 55 Maicer Izturis 3B .276 5 41 Nelson Cruz RF .218 7 25 Kendry Morales DH .338 3 11 David Murphy LF .424 1 5 Casey Kotchman 1B .295 9 58 Jason Botts DH .207 1 8 Howie Kendrick 2B .315 4 23 Jarrod Saltalamacc C .253 5 14 Jeff Mathis C .223 2 16 Edinson Volquez RHP (NO RECORD) Kelvim Escobar RHP (15-6, 2.77)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS WARMUPS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ (NO RECORD) LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR (15-6, 2.77) UMPIRES: HP - GARY CEDERSTROM 1B - LANCE BARKSDALE 2B - BILL HOHN 3B - JIM REYNOLDS WEATHER: 101 Degrees, sunny WIND: 5 mph, out to center</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS STARTING BATS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ AND JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR AND JEFF MATHIS DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.259, 17 HR, 50 RBI) R VAZQUEZ (.243, 7 HR, 25 RBI) M YOUNG (.305, 7 HR, 69 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 LA ANGELS 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: G MATTHEWS JR (.263, 17 HR, 70 RBI) O CABRERA (.310, 8 HR, 75 RBI) V GUERRERO (.327, 22 HR, 109 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS LA ANGELS (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .259 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .242 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 M Byrd cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 B Wilkerson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 N Cruz rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 D Murphy lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .424 J Botts dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .207 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253 Totals 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - I Kinsler (1, 2nd base by K Escobar/J Mathis). LA ANGELS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Matthews Jr cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 O Cabrera ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 V Guerrero rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327 G Anderson lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .287 M Izturis 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 K Morales dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .338 C Kotchman 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 H Kendrick 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 J Mathis c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .223 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 LA ANGELS - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ### LA ANGELS ip h r er bb so hr era K Escobar 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.76 Pitches-strikes: K Escobar 14-7. Ground balls-fly balls: K Escobar 0-1. Batters faced: K Escobar 3. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Cederstrom. 1B--Lance Barksdale. 2B--Bill Hohn. 3B--Jim Reynolds. Weather: 101 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to center.</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS CONFIRMED STARTERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 LA ANGELS 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M BYRD (.305, 6 HR, 55 RBI) B WILKERSON (.236, 18 HR, 55 RBI) N CRUZ (.218, 7 HR, 25 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS LA ANGELS (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .259 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .242 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 M Byrd cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 B Wilkerson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 N Cruz rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 D Murphy lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .424 J Botts dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .207 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253 Totals 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - I Kinsler (1, 2nd base by K Escobar/J Mathis). LA ANGELS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Matthews Jr cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 O Cabrera ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 V Guerrero rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327 G Anderson lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .287 M Izturis 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 K Morales dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .338 C Kotchman 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 H Kendrick 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 J Mathis c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .223 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 LA ANGELS - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 LA ANGELS ip h r er bb so hr era K Escobar 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.76 Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 10-6; K Escobar 14-7. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 0-3; K Escobar 0-1. Batters faced: E Volquez 3; K Escobar 3. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Cederstrom. 1B--Lance Barksdale. 2B--Bill Hohn. 3B--Jim Reynolds. Weather: 101 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to center.</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY DAVID MURPHY SCORED MARLON BYRD AND NELSON CRUZ. SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D MURPHY ON SECOND, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2 LA ANGELS 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J BOTTS (.207, 1 HR, 8 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 2 2 2 0 LA ANGELS 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: G ANDERSON (.287, 11 HR, 58 RBI) M IZTURIS (.276, 5 HR, 41 RBI) K MORALES (.338, 3 HR, 11 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">TEXAS (2) VS LA ANGELS (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .259 R Vazquez 3b 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 .241 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 M Byrd cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .307 B Wilkerson 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .235 N Cruz rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .218 D Murphy lf 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 .441 J Botts dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .207 J Saltalamacchia c 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .250 Totals 7 2 2 2 3 4 7 BATTING: 2B - M Byrd (15, K Escobar); D Murphy (6, K Escobar). RBI - D Murphy 2 (7). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - R Vazquez 2. Team LOB - 3. BASERUNNING: CS - I Kinsler (1, 2nd base by K Escobar/J Mathis). LA ANGELS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Matthews Jr cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 O Cabrera ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 V Guerrero rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327 G Anderson lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .287 M Izturis 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 K Morales dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .338 C Kotchman 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295 H Kendrick 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 J Mathis c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .223 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 02 -- 2 LA ANGELS - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 LA ANGELS ip h r er bb so hr era K Escobar 2 2 2 2 3 4 0 2.84 HBP - J Botts (by K Escobar). Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 10-6; K Escobar 53-31. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 0-3; K Escobar 0-1. Batters faced: E Volquez 3; K Escobar 11. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Cederstrom. 1B--Lance Barksdale. 2B--Bill Hohn. 3B--Jim Reynolds. Weather: 101 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to center.</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL TEXAS AT LA ANGELS NOTE: LOS ANGELES THIRD BASEMAN MAICER IZTURIS EXTENDED HIS HITTING STREAK TO 11 GAMES WITH A SINGLE IN THE SECOND INNING.</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY HOWIE KENDRICK SCORED KENDRY MORALES. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, H KENDRICK ON FIRST, C KOTCHMAN ON THIRD, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2 LA ANGELS 1 BOTTOM, 2ND DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: J MATHIS (.223, 2 HR, 16 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 2 2 2 1 LA ANGELS 0 1 1 2 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - EDINSON VOLQUEZ LAA - KELVIM ESCOBAR DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.305, 0-FOR-1) M BYRD (.307, 1-FOR-1) B WILKERSON (.235, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">TEXAS (2) VS LA ANGELS (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .259 R Vazquez 3b 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 .241 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 M Byrd cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .307 B Wilkerson 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .235 N Cruz rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .218 D Murphy lf 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 .441 J Botts dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .207 J Saltalamacchia c 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .250 Totals 7 2 2 2 3 4 7 BATTING: 2B - M Byrd (15, K Escobar); D Murphy (6, K Escobar). RBI - D Murphy 2 (7). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - R Vazquez 2. Team LOB - 3. BASERUNNING: CS - I Kinsler (1, 2nd base by K Escobar/J Mathis). FIELDING: E - D Murphy (1, throw). LA ANGELS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg G Matthews Jr cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .262 O Cabrera ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .310 V Guerrero rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327 G Anderson lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .287 M Izturis 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .279 K Morales dh 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 C Kotchman 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .295 H Kendrick 2b 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .318 J Mathis c 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .221 Totals 8 1 2 1 1 0 3 BATTING: RBI - H Kendrick (24). 2-out RBI - H Kendrick. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - J Mathis 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 02 -- 2 LA ANGELS - 01 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era E Volquez 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 4.50 LA ANGELS ip h r er bb so hr era K Escobar 2 2 2 2 3 4 0 2.84 HBP - J Botts (by K Escobar). Pitches-strikes: E Volquez 34-21; K Escobar 53-31. Ground balls-fly balls: E Volquez 2-4; K Escobar 0-1. Batters faced: E Volquez 9; K Escobar 11. UMPIRES: HP--Gary Cederstrom. 1B--Lance Barksdale. 2B--Bill Hohn. 3B--Jim Reynolds. Weather: 101 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, out to center.</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE DOUBLE BY BRAD WILKERSON SCORED MICHAEL YOUNG AND MARLON BYRD. SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B WILKERSON ON SECOND, 0 OUT CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 4 LA ANGELS 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR TEXAS: N CRUZ (.218, 0-FOR-0, BB)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA SCORED BRAD WILKERSON. SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J SALTALAMACCHIA ON FIRST, D MURPHY ON THIRD, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 5 LA ANGELS 1 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.259, 0-FOR-0, 2 BB)</div>
AL: TEXAS at LA ANGELS <div class="pre">AL AT LA ANGELS - PITCHING CHANGE LAA: DUSTIN MOSELEY (4-2, 4.39) IN THE 3RD SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J SALTALAMACCHIA ON FIRST, D MURPHY ON THIRD, 2 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 5, LA ANGELS 1 DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.259, 0-FOR-0)</div>
