On Friday night, the Angels had a one-run lead after five but Jose Arrendondo allowed two runs to score as the Angels lost 3-2.
Teixeira went 3 for 4, including an RBI-single in the first to put the Angels up by one, a lead they would hold until the fourth. Juan Rivera then hit a solo shot in the fifth for the go-ahead run, but were shut out after that by Cliff Lee, who held the Angels to 8 hits while striking out 6. Garret Anderson did have a single in the eighth to extend his hit streak to 19, which is the longest active streak and the most for an Angels hitter this season.
Jered Weaver earned the no-decision after giving up one run and being tagged for another in the sixth, while getting 6 K’s. Weaver left with one out in the sixth with a runner on second, and Jose Arrendondo gave up a walk followed by the game-tying single for the blown save. He then walked gave up two more walks, one to put the Tribe ahead. Arrendondo was pulled without recording an out and was tagged for the first loss of his career.
The Angels followed the loss with a 4-3 win on Saturday to even up the series.
The Angels scored all four runs in the first three innings, two of which unearned. Chone Figgins led off the first with a single, moved to third on an error and wild pitch, and scored on Vlad’s single. In the third, Erick Aybar walked and scored from first on Teixeira’s single after a throwing error. Vlad then got another RBI as Teixeira scored on Vlad’s would-be groundout. Vlad then stole third and touched home on another wild pitch by Carmona. Garret Anderson went 2 for 4 and extends his hit streak to 20 games.
John Lackey earned his 10th win, and now the Angels have all five starters with at least 10 wins-a club first. Lackey gave up three runs on six hits through six. He gave up a solo homerun in the first to tie it and another two-run homerun in the fourth, but he never trailed and Oliver escaped a no-outs, bases-loaded jam in the seventh, courtesy of Aybar’s fantastic play. Shields then held the eighth before K-Rod pitched his way to his 47th save, with 2 strikeouts in the ninth.
Aybar scored a run and made a game-saving play in the game as he fills in for Maicer Izturis, who will undergo season-ending surgery on his left thumb, which he tore a ligament in on Wednesday when diving for a groundball.
Joe Saunders will get the nod in Sunday’s rubber match. The Angels will try to keep their unbeaten streak alive, not losing a series to an AL team since May 9-11. Saunders has more than half his wins away from home, and will look for his 15th win. He will face lefty Jeremy Sowers, who is 1-6 with a 5.70 ERA and is winless in 3 career starts against the Angels.
