Angels Continue to Roll Onward

Darin Erstad’s career-best 21-game hit streak, the longest such streak in the major leagues this season, came to an end Wednesday night, thanks in no small part to Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira, whose leaping, back-hand grab of Erstad’s fifth-inning liner robbed the Angel first baseman of a double.

Erstad’s reaction?

“I could care less,� he said.

The only streak that mattered to Erstad was the one the Angels ended during a 6-0 victory over the Rangers in front of an announced 41,763 in Angel Stadium, a win that gave the Angels a three-game sweep of Texas and increased their lead over the Rangers in the American League West to a season-high 4 1/2 games.

Texas ace Kenny Rogers had won a career-high nine consecutive decisions, posting a 1.52 earned-run average in 10 starts during the streak to lower his season mark from 3.33 to an AL-best 1.98, but the Angels pounded the 40-year-old left-hander for six runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Rogers gave up only four home runs in 95 1/3 innings before Wednesday, but the Angels took him deep twice in three innings, Juan Rivera capping a four-run first with a three-run home run and Bengie Molina hitting a solo shot in the third. Erstad came up 35 games short of Joe DiMaggio’s record 56-game hit streak, but he did walk twice and score two runs.

“Put it this way -- we just swept the Rangers, and that’s a little more important than that other stuff,� Erstad said. “In the whole scheme of things, I’m trying to get on base and put some runs on the board.�

Angel pitcher Jarrod Washburn shut out one of baseball’s most prolific offenses on five hits over seven innings to improve to 4-3 and win his first game at home since July 15, 2004, a span of nine starts.

“It feels good to win any time, whether you’re home or on the road, but it’s been way too long since my last one here,� Washburn said. “They’re an aggressive lineup, a group of good hitters ... but everything was working tonight.�

Washburn has struggled at home throughout his six-year career, going 26-29 with a 4.79 ERA in Angel Stadium and 44-23 with a 3.38 ERA on the road, but he looked so comfortable throughout his 95-pitch outing Wednesday that Manager Mike Scioscia described him as having “easy gas -- he didn’t have to work that hard to throw hard.�

Only one in seven leadoff batters reached base off Washburn when Richard Hidalgo singled to open the seventh, but Hidalgo was quickly erased on Rod Barajas’ double-play grounder. Joel Peralta and Esteban had scoreless innings to complete the shutout and improve the Angels to 7-2 against the Rangers this season.

“It doesn’t matter whether we win three or four in a row against those guys, they’re not going to go away,� Molina said. “We’re not thinking about having a 4 1/2 -game lead, because we know that can change quickly. We’re just thinking about playing good baseball day in and day out.�

The Angel offense did a number on the Rangers during the early shift, outscoring Texas, 11-0, in the first inning for the series, and their four runs in the first inning Wednesday scored after two were out.

With Erstad aboard on a walk, Garret Anderson singled to center, and Molina singled to left for a 1-0 lead. Rogers (9-3) jumped ahead of Rivera, but his 0-and-2 slider broke right onto the bat head of the Angel center fielder, who drove it over the wall in left-center for a three-run home run and a 4-0 lead.

The Angels tacked on insurance runs in the third, when Molina led off with his sixth homer of the year, and the fourth, when Rivera hit a run-scoring single that knocked Rogers out of the game in favor of right-hander Doug Brocail. The Angels had 13 hits Wednesday, giving them 43 hits for the series.

“This is more indicative of the offense we have,� Washburn said. “They were as frustrated as any fans when they struggled [in May]. It’s great to see them bust out.�

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Busted at 21

Darin Erstad went hitless with two walks Wednesday to end his hitting streak at 21 games. Here are the Angel all-time streak leaders:

1. Garret Anderson (1998)...28

2. Rod Carew (1982)...25

3. Jim Edmonds (1995)...23

4. Sandy Alomar (1970)...22

5. (tie) Darin Erstad (2005)...21

Robb Quinlan (2004)...21

Randy Velarde (1996)...21

Bobby Grich (1981)...21