Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kole Calhoun smacked a two-run homer, scored a pair of runs and the LA Angels of Anaheim defeated the Texas Rangers, 5-2, in the finale of a three-game set.
Matt Shoemaker (5-1) struck out six and allowed a run on eight hits and two walks over 7 2/3 innings for the Angels, who swept the series. C.J. Cron cracked a solo shot in the victory.
"I was aggressive tonight," Shoemaker said. "Hank (Conger) and I worked together. We stayed focused and tried to get outs."
Yu Darvish (7-4) fanned nine, but surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on five hits and four walks over six innings for Texas, which has dropped five straight and six of its last seven.
The Angels plated a run in the first and added four more in the fourth to jump out to a 5-0 lead.
Calhoun worked a leadoff walk in the first and after Mike Trout flied out, controversy ensued. With Calhoun attempting to steal second, Albert Pujols hit a single up the middle. Calhoun reached third and went home when Rangers center fielder Leonys Martin's throw went up the third-base line. Darvish fielded the errant throw in foul territory and tossed it home in time to beat Calhoun.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia, however, challenged the play stating that catcher Chris Gimenez was blocking the plate. The play was overturned, giving the run to the Angels and Texas manager Ron Washington was subsequently ejected for arguing the decision.
"That play was an instinct play. You can't stop an instinct play. To me that's what a catcher's supposed to do. You can't look down to see where your feet are. That was instinct, not intentional," Washington said.
Cron belted his solo shot with one out in the fourth and after Hank Conger walked, David Freese whacked a double to left to plate Conger. Calhoun launched his two-run blast down the right-field line two batters later for the Angels' five-run cushion.
Texas got on the board in the sixth. Martin hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on Elvis Andrus' single and scored on a pickoff attempt throwing error by Shoemaker, which cut the deficit to 5-1.
Brad Snyder launched a two-out, solo shot to dead center in the ninth off Joe Smith to make it 5-2.
Game Notes
The Angels were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while the Rangers finished 1-for-3 with RISP ... Both Cron and Calhoun's homers were their sixth of the year.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.