Figgins Fuels Angels’ 4-3 Win Over Twins

It’s not always speed that kills. Sometimes, the mere threat of it can maim, as was evident in the 11th inning Monday night when Minnesota reliever Jesse Crain, preoccupied with Chone Figgins at first base, bounced a pickoff throw into foul territory, allowing the Angels leadoff batter to race to third with no outs.

Orlando Cabrera grounded Crain’s next pitch, a two-strike sinker, through the shortstop hole of a drawn-in infield to drive in Figgins and give the Angels their second walk-off and first extra-inning victory of the season, a 4-3 win over the Twins at Angel Stadium that moved the Angels into third place in the American League West.

“I like to run, I like to be aggressive, and I like that to be in the other team’s head, for reasons like tonight,� said Figgins, who led off the 11th inning with a single to center field. “I always try to create havoc without stealing a base, and tonight I was able to do that.�

Figgins was nearly picked off before Crain’s error, diving into the bag just ahead of first baseman Justin Morneau’s tag. After Crain’s errant throw, Minnesota brought its outfielders in but did not go to a five-man infield, a favorite tactic of Angels Manager Mike Scioscia.

Nor was there any pitchout in an effort to bust up a potential suicide squeeze. Instead, Crain caught too much of the plate with his 0-and-2 pitch, and Cabrera, who had two doubles and scored twice in regulation, hit it squarely for the game winner.

“I was surprised I got that pitch to hit right after they had a meeting on the mound,� Cabrera said. “I thought they’d try to play with me, maybe throw a few pitches inside. He left a sinker middle-in.�

Cabrera’s hit made a winner of reliever Scot Shields, who rebounded from a blown save in the Angels’ 7-6 loss to Baltimore on Sunday to strike out three of four batters in the 11th inning. Closer Francisco Rodriguez also threw two scoreless innings, picking off Rondell White at second base to end the ninth.

Figgins also figured prominently in a score-tying rally in the eighth inning, which began with Jose Molina’s two-out walk against reliever Juan Rincon.

Tommy Murphy ran for Molina, and shortstop Juan Castro made a back-hand, diving stop of Adam Kennedy’s grounder. Castro threw to first base from one knee, but Morneau couldn’t dig out the one-hop throw. Kennedy was awarded a hit.

Figgins followed with a playable line drive toward the middle, but second baseman Luis Castillo did not jump for the ball, which nicked off his glove and into center field, allowing Murphy to score and pulling the Angels even, 3-3. The play was originally ruled a hit but changed after the game to an error.

“That was an error -- all the way an error,� Manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s better than that. That play should have been made.�

When Figgins’ shot left his bat, Scioscia had the same sinking feeling he had in the ninth inning Sunday, when the Orioles turned Garret Anderson’s one-hop smash to second base into a game-ending double play.

“I thought, ‘Oh no, not again,’ � Scioscia said. “But it got by him, and we were able to tie the game.�

Both starters pitched well. Angels right-hander John Lackey gave up three runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in eight innings, striking out seven and walking one, and Twins right-hander Brad Radke, who has a 13-7 career record and 2.09 earned-run average against the Angels, gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings.

Anderson knocked in the Angels’ first two runs, with singles to center field in the first and fifth innings.