Lee outduels Weaver as Rangers beat Angels
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cliff Lee allowed five hits over 8 1-3 innings to outpitch fellow All-Star Jered Weaver and the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Thursday night to give the AL West leaders a six-game lead over the second-place Angels.
Lee (9-4) struck out four and didn't walk a batter in his third start since he was acquired from Seattle in a six-player deal on July 9.
Lee was the loser in a 6-1 defeat to Baltimore in his Rangers debut on July 10, but he went nine innings. Lee also lasted nine innings in his second start for Texas on July 17, a no-decision in a game the Rangers lost to Boston 3-2 in 11 innings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lee retired Bobby Abreu on a fly ball to open the ninth, then seemed surprised when manager Ron Washington trotted to the mound. After a discussion, Washington brought in closer Neftali Feliz, who got Torii Hunter and Mike Napoli to fly out for his 26th save.
Weaver (9-6) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings with five strikeouts and two walks.
Michael Young homered and Josh Hamilton drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the sixth as the Rangers opened a stretch of seven games against the Angels over an 11-day span.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With one out in the sixth and the score even at 1, Vladimir Guerrero, who starred for the Angels from 2004-09, stretched what should have been a single into a double.
Hamilton followed with a double to the gap in left-center to score Guerrero and put the Rangers ahead for good.
Hamilton went to third on Nelson Cruz's infield single off the glove of second baseman Howie Kendrick, and Hamilton slid home on ex-Angel Bengie Molina's sacrifice fly to extend Texas' lead to 3-1.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Napoli homered for the Angels in the seventh to narrow the deficit to 3-2.
Texas' Ian Kinsler went 1 for 4 to stretch his hitting streak to 15 games.
Young hit a one-out solo homer in the first inning.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Napoli was the Angels' only baserunner over the first four innings with a one-out single in the second.
Hideki Matsui doubled with one out in the fifth, advancing to third on a fly ball. Matsui scored on Maicer Izturis' double to tie it at 1.
NOTES: Lee is scheduled to start again against the Angels in Anaheim on Aug. 1. ... Lee has gone at least eight innings in seven straight starts. ... Earlier Thursday, the Angels acquired 3B Alberto Callaspo from Kansas City for RHP Sean O'Sullivan and minor league LHP Will Smith. Callaspo will report to the Angels on Friday and is expected to be their everyday 3B. Callaspo was an Angels minor leaguer from 2001 until he was traded to Arizona in 2006. ... Rangers LHP Derek Holland will make a rehab start on Friday for the team's entry in the Arizona Rookie League. Holland has been on the 15-day DL since June 1 with left rotator cuff inflammation. If Holland gets through Friday's start with no problems, he'll move on to a minor league start at a higher classification. ... The Angels are curtailing pregame batting and fielding practice on the field during the four-game series to lessen the impact of triple-digit afternoon heat. ... Of the crowd of 39,876, about 8,600 bought tickets on the day of the game.