Angels make more with less

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Their moms would be proud. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim didn't waste a thing Sunday.

Of course, they've been thriftier than a fleet of hybrid cars all year long. No one gets more mileage out of less fuel than the Angels.

No one will confuse the American League's best team with one of baseball's all-time great powerhouses, but they don't have to be. Not when they get the kind of clutch hitting they got over the weekend in sweeping a three-game series from Boston at Angel Stadium.

Sunday, they played the timely hits game perfectly, leaving only two men on base in a 5-3 victory.

"The one time we got someone in scoring position, we came through," said Howie Kendrick, who happened to be that guy, ripping an RBI double in the eighth inning to tie the game 3-3. "Then Kotchman came through."

That would be Casey Kotchman, who followed two batters later with a two-run double to finish the scoring.

The Angels got back-to-back solo home runs from Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter in the second inning, but put only two other men on base against Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield before the decisive eighth inning.

The Angels also beat Boston on Saturday by bunching hits and scoring all four of their runs in the seventh inning. They also finished the first half against Oakland eight days ago by getting five of their eight hits in the last two innings to score three runs and win, 4-3.

"It says something when you can come through (in the late innings), and we've been doing a lot of that lately," Hunter said.

It says the Angels have mastered the art of efficiency.

They are 10th in the AL in runs scored but are the only team in the big leagues playing .600 baseball.

There's a reason Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez has 40 saves. They play tight, tight games.

The Angels have scored a mere 33 more runs than their opponents, but are 22 games over .500 (60-38).

You could say the Angels are cutting it pretty thin, and the odds may catch up to them. But they also have the biggest lead (nine games) of any division leader. Catch them if you can.

Kotchman shrugged when asked if the Angels' late-inning heroics are something they expect now.

"It doesn't matter what inning it is, we're always trying to get a couple of guys on base," he said. "Things happen when you get guys on base."

Especially with the Angels.

They are 10th in the league in batting average, but hit 20 points higher (.278) with runners in scoring position.

Sunday they had minimal success getting the ball solidly on the bat against Wakefield's fluttering floater. Guerrero hacked a high pitch inside the left field foul pole leading off the second inning, and Hunter followed by hitting one in the bullpen.

And that was all of the Angels' offense for the first seven innings against Wakefield, who was remarkably accurate, walking no one and throwing 64 of 92 pitches for strikes.

"I remember all three (career) home runs I've hit off (Wakefield) -- I closed my eyes," Hunter said, laughing. "Kirby Puckett used to say, 'If it's high, let it fly. If it's low, let it go.' I just go up and hack.

"It's the most comfortable 0-for-3 when it's against him. You just say, 'Whatever.' Against anyone else, you're mad."

The Angels were on their way to a bunch of 0-for-3s when Juan Rivera pulled a ground-ball double just inside third base to lead off the eighth. It was the first time they had a man standing at second all day, but it was the tying run because Jon Garland had pitched his own strong game for the home team.

The Angels had the Red Sox right where they wanted them.

Kendrick pulled a ball down the left field line, and that was all for Wakefield. As it turned out, that was pretty much all for Boston. The Angels had no problem going from a 65 mph knuckler to reliever Manny Delcarmen's 95 mph fastball.

Jeff Mathis bunted Kendrick to third, Chone Figgins walked and Kotchman hooked a soft liner over first baseman Kevin Youkilis' head to score the go-ahead runs.

It didn't matter that Maicer Izturis promptly struck out and Guerrero popped weakly to second base.

No sense in wasting offense. No doubt the Angels will need it today.

(Contact Gregg Patton at gpatton@PE.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)