The Angels extended their win streak to four by heading into Baltimore and taking the first two from the Orioles, a 6-5 win on Friday followed by an 11-6 win on Saturday.
Joe Saunders, pitching not too far from his hometown, earned the win as the Angels escaped with the one-run win after K-Rod gave up a rare homerun in the bottom of the ninth.
The lineup saw the return of Torii Hunter, after missing a few games to be with his family, who was 1 for 4 with a two-out, two-RBI double in the first to give the Angels an early lead. Juan Rivera hit a solo shot and Casey Kotchman a two-run HR in the second to put the Angels up 5-0. The Orioles came striking back to make it a one-run lead, but the Angels added a much needed insurance run in the eighth of Garret Anderson’s RBI-single.
Joe Saunders had given up just one run, a solo homerun to Kevin Millar in the third, through six and took the mound in the seventh with a 5-1 lead. Saunders had two outs in the seventh but loaded the bases before giving up a two-RBI double. The O’s made it a one-run game when Millar scored off a passed ball by Mathis. Scot Shields came in and struck out Brian Roberts on three pitches to end the inning. He got another K in the eighth for his 22nd hold in 23 chances this season. K-Rod then took the mound with a two-run lead in the ninth. Millar scored his third run of the night with a two-out solo homerun off K-Rod. K-Rod put a man on second with a double before inducing a groundout to end the threat and get his 43rd save.
