Arlington, TX – Elvis Andrus capped a four-run 10th inning with a two-run single down the third-base line as the Texas Rangers overcame a pair of deficits to top the Angels, 11-10, in the third installment of a four- game series.
Chris Iannetta hit a solo home run and Albert Pujols hit his second two-run shot of the game in the top of the 10th to give the Angels a 10-7 advantage.
Nelson Cruz led off the home 10th with a bomb to left-center field off Ernesto Frieri, who also surrendered a game-tying home run to Ian Kinsler in the ninth to force extra innings.
Michael Young then reached first on a fielding error by shortstop Andrew Romine and David Murphy followed by working an 11-pitch walk to end Frieri's outing.
Jason Isringhausen (3-1) came on next and gave up a base hit through the left side of the infield from Mike Napoli to load the bases with no outs.
Mitch Moreland's base hit to right plated Young to bring Texas within 10-9 before Andrus pulled the game-winning hit on a 3-2 pitch down the line in left to snap the Rangers' two-game losing streak. Andrus finished the game 4-for-6 with three RBI.
It was a big loss for the Angels, considering they could have been within two games of the AL West-leading Rangers. They're now four games back.
"That's exactly what we needed. It was just a reminder of what we are capable of right there," said Murphy. "I think anybody in here could say it was one of the most dramatic and best wins they've ever seen."
Joe Nathan (2-3) received the win despite surrendering the home runs to Iannetta and Pujols in the top of the 10th.
The Angels entered the fifth inning with a seemingly comfortable 7-1 lead, but Texas rallied in the frame to close its deficit to two. Young started the inning with a single, advanced to second on a Murphy base hit and came home on Napoli's double to left.
Moreland's sacrifice fly to left plated Murphy before Kinsler slapped an RBI double to right-center field that landed just out of the reach of a diving Mike Trout. Andrus followed with a run-scoring single to center field, but he would later be stranded at third to keep it a 7-5 game.
The Angels failed to add some cushion to their lead by stranding a runner on second in both the sixth and eighth innings.
Texas inched closer in the bottom of the eighth as Adrian Beltre worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch by Kevin Jepsen and scored on Murphy's two-out bloop single to shallow left field.
LA had a potential insurance run taken away in the top of the ninth when Kendrys Morales was thrown out at the plate while trying to score from second on Maicer Izturis' two-out single to right field, and Kinsler took advantage with a one-out, game-tying home run to left field off of Frieri in the home ninth.
Andrus followed with a double down the left-field line to place the winning run in scoring position, but Josh Hamilton and Beltre both popped out to end the inning and force extras.
"You have to give those guys credit. They got six runs off our bullpen and we've been doing a good job our protecting our leads. We didn't get it done tonight," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
The Angels opened the scoring in the third inning after loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks by Iannetta and Romine before Trout reached first on a throwing error to second by Rangers starter Yu Darvish on a bouncer back to the mound.
Torii Hunter then grounded a ball to short for a potential inning-ending double play, but Kinsler's relay throw to first went wide to the left, allowing Iannetta and Romine to cross the plate.
Pujols followed with a two-run blast over the left-center field wall for his 21st homer of the season.
The Angels added a couple more of runs in the frame when Darvish issued back- to-back walks to Mark Trumbo and Morales, and they both came around to score on Alberto Callaspo's double into right-center field gap to give LA a 6-0 lead.
Texas answered with a run in the bottom of the third as Murphy led off with a double into the left-field corner and came home on Napoli's base hit up the middle.
But the Angels got that run back in the fourth when Trout worked a two-out walk and rounded the bases on Hunter's double off the wall in center field to make the score 7-1.
Game Notes
Darvish allowed seven runs on four hits and six walks with seven strikeouts over five innings...The Angels' Garrett Richards, who got the start in place of Dan Haren due to stiffness in his back, gave up five runs on nine hits and a walk through 5 2/3 innings...The Angels still lead the season series between the teams, 7-5...Texas hit 8-for-18 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base...The Angels went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.
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