The Angels took the first from the Nationals on Monday with a 3-2 win to extend their win streak to four games.
The bats had trouble hitting off of Nationals starter Jason Bergmann. He allowed them just six hits and had 6 K’s. Their only run off him came in the fifth: Casey Kotchman singled, advanced to third on Howie Kendrick’s double and scored on a sacfly by Jeff Mathis. They were down 2-1 heading into the eighth, but a two-run rally gave them the go-ahead run. Chone Figgins got a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. He then scored on another fielding error by Felipe Lopez, who couldn’t handle Erick Aybar’s hard-hit ball. Aybar took second on the error and scored the go-ahead run when Garret Anderson smacked an RBI-single.
John Lackey narrowly escaped with a win, his fifth of the year. He gave up two runs, one earned (though it was his own error) and struck out six in eight innings. He allowed the Nationals to score one first in the third from a solo homerun before he escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to keep the Nationals at one run. The Nationals then scored an unearned run in the seventh to take the lead after Willie Harris tripled and scored when Lackey tried to throw him out but his throw went far. The Angels gave him two in the top of the eighth to allow him to get the victory. K-Rod threw for his 31st save, with all three outs being strikeouts.
