Angels seek to carry momentum into opener with O's

The LA Angels of Anaheim are coming off an energetic leading Texas Rangers and will try to game series versus the Baltimore Orioles at the Big A.

Mark Trumbo clubbed a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning in Thursday's 2-1 win to help the Angels salvage the finale of a four-game series and pull within six games of the top spot in the division. Torii Hunter singled to start the ninth and Trumbo followed with a big blast to left field off of Rangers reliever Mike Adams.

"I've never seen [Adams], but I knew he threw a cutter, and that's what I was looking for. There was no doubt it had the distance. I wasn't sure it was going to be fair," said Trumbo.

Mike Napoli's seventh-inning homer off Jered Weaver was the difference before Adams stepped to the rubber in the ninth. The setup man was used because regular closer Neftali Feliz had pitched four of the previous five days. Horacio Ramirez got the final out in the top of the ninth for the win.

The Angels ended a five-game slide and won for the second time in nine tries. They are 1-3 on a nine-game homestand and Hunter is riding a 16-game hitting streak. Taking the mound for the Halos tonight will be Dan Haren, who is 12-6 with a 2.95 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) this season. Haren is 2-0 in his previous six outings and hasn't recorded a decision in back-to-back trips to the hill.

Haren was reached for three runs and five hits, including a pair of home runs, over seven innings of Sunday's 5-4 loss at Toronto. He has given up seven runs over his past two starts. The right-hander is 6-3 at home this season and has won four straight decisions in Anaheim. Haren is 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA in eight career starts against the Orioles.

Baltimore lost two of three meetings with Oakland to kick off a 10-game trek and is just 5-14 in the past 19 games. In Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Athletics at the Coliseum, Alfredo Simon was dealt the loss and was burnt for six runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Nick Markakis finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored for the Orioles, who allowed a three spot in the first inning and got two hits apiece from Robert Andino, J.J. Hardy and Mark Reynolds. Hardy finally put the brakes on an 0-for-17 slump.

The A's took advantage of a defensive miscue by the Orioles to get on the board in the home half of the first.

Jemile Weeks and Hideki Matsui sandwiched singles around a Coco Crisp walk to load the bases. Willingham followed with a line drive to left. Nolan Reimold misplayed the screamer, taking a step in as the ball carried over his head for a two-run double. Brandon Allen's subsequent sac fly made it a 3-2 game.

"You want to be perfect," said Reimold. "If you're gonna make mistakes you want them to be aggressive mistakes. That being said, you still don't want to make mistakes."

The Orioles are scheduled to visit Minnesota for four games on this road swing and will hand the ball to Jo-Jo Reyes tonight.Reyes was 0-2 in three starts before an 8-5 win over Detroit on Sunday at Camden Yards, where he tossed six innings of one-run with four K's and two walks. He is 3-2 in his last five decisions and 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in three games (2 starts) with the O's.

Reyes, who made 20 starts with Toronto before switching uniforms, is 1-1 in two career starts against the Angels, who beat the lefty on April 10 in a 3-1 victory. Reyes gave up three runs -- one earned -- in seven innings that day.

Anaheim won two of three meetings at Baltimore from July 22-24, but is only 2-7 in the previous nine matchups between the clubs.