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Wednesday, May 3 7:05pm ET
After 9 losses, Angels finally beat O's | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- For the second straight night, the Anaheim Angels put themselves in position to beat the Baltimore Orioles for the first time in nearly a year. This time, Troy Percival didn't let the lead get away. Mo Vaughn and Garret Anderson homered in a three-run sixth inning that powered the Angels to a 6-5 victory Wednesday in a game that featured six home runs. Matt Walbeck and Benji Gil also connected for the Angels, who had lost nine straight and 14 of 15 to Baltimore. The Orioles' mastery continued one night earlier when Percival allowed two ninth-inning runs without getting an out in a 7-6 loss. But on this occasion, the Angels' closer needed only 17 pitches to get his seventh save, retiring B.J. Surhoff on a fly ball with the tying run on second base. "This guy is really good at keeping his short-term focus and turning the page," Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said. "That's essential if you're going to be in that spot. I can't think of too many positions in sports with that much pressure as a closer. ... If you stumble one night, you get right back out there." The Angels were delighted to beat the Orioles for the first time since last May 25, and the victory was even sweeter because Percival got the opportunity to apply the finishing touches. "After last night, it was good to see Percy get in the game, get a one-run save opportunity and close the door," Walbeck said. "Last night was kind of an upsetting loss." Albert Belle and B.J. Surhoff hit solo homers for the Orioles, who fell to 10-3 at home. Belle went 3-for-4 and scored three runs. With the score at 3, Vaughn led off the sixth inning by driving a 3-0 pitch from Jason Johnson (0-1) over the right-field scoreboard. Tim Salmon then singled and Anderson homered on the first pitch from Chuck McElroy. "McElroy made one bad pitch," lamented Orioles manager Mike Hargrove. Jeff Conine hit a two-run single in the Orioles' half. But with the bases loaded and one out, Mike Bordick popped out before Mike Holtz retired Brady Anderson on a grounder. Baltimore had one final chance in the ninth, but Percival got three outs to shut the door. "Well, you can't tempt fate too often," Hargrove said. "You got Troy Percival on the mound, you know very rarely will you see him blow two saves in two nights." Anaheim starter Ramon Ortiz (2-2) allowed four runs in five-plus innings before leaving with a cut on his right index finger. Belle led off the second inning with his first homer since April 7, a towering fly to left that barely cleared the wall. Walbeck's solo homer in the third tied the score and doubled both his home run and RBI output this season. Gil, the No. 9 hitter, followed with his first homer since August 1997. Baltimore went up 3-2 in the fourth. Surhoff sent an 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall before Belle singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cal Ripken. The Angels pulled even in the fifth when Troy Glaus drew a leadoff walk, took third on a double by Orlando Palmeiro and scored on a two-out wild pitch by Johnson. Game notesAnaheim's Darin Erstad, held hitless Tuesday, went 2-for-4 with a walk. He has reached safely in each of his 27 games. ... Belle's homer was his 361st, tying him with Joe DiMaggio at No. 49 on the career list. ... The Angels have hit consecutive homers four times this season. ... Before the game, the Orioles put 1B Will Clark (strained hamstring) on the DL and recalled INF Ryan Minor from Triple-A Rochester. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Anaheim Clubhouse Baltimore Clubhouse RECAPS Anaheim 6 Baltimore 5
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