Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Ervin Santana threw his first shutout of the season with a five-hitter, as the Angels edged the Texas Rangers, 2-0, in the middle contest of a three-game series.
Santana (17-9) also notched a career high in wins in a season by limiting the Rangers to the five hits and a walk, while striking out eight. It was his fifth career shutout and fourth complete game of the season.
"Me and [catcher Hank] Conger were on the same page all night," Santana said. "I threw strikes. Texas is a great team. It's not easy, and I had to stay focused. Everything was working very good."
Conger and Kevin Frandsen each drove in a run for the Angels, who have won three in a row.
Colby Lewis (11-13) gave up two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings, but took the loss. Texas has dropped four of five, and still has a magic number of six to clinch the AL West. Second-place Oakland beat the White Sox on Tuesday to pull within seven games of the Rangers.
"Colby pitched extremely well," said Rangers manager Ron Washington. "We had the pitching, we just didn't get him any runs."
Conger began the second inning with a triple to center and scored when Frandsen followed with a groundout. Then in the fourth, the Angels made it a 2-0 game after Hideki Matsui led off with a double. Matsui moved to third on a fly out and scored on Conger's fielder's choice.
Meanwhile, Santana did not allow a runner past first base until the sixth inning. Julio Borbon singled with one out before Elvis Andrus reached on a bunt single, but the Angels' right-hander fanned Michael Young before getting David Murphy to ground out.
Santana worked around a leadoff walk to Vladimir Guerrero in the seventh, stranded a runner at second in the eighth, then worked a flawless ninth to finish his masterpiece.
Santana threw 122 pitches (80 for strikes). He recorded the ninth complete game of his career...Lewis, who had won his last two starts, matched a season high in strikeouts. He has struck out 10 five times in 2010...The Rangers' Nelson Cruz had his 12-game hitting streak ended after going 0-for-3...Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton underwent further tests in California on Tuesday that revealed two fractured ribs. Hamilton also received an anti- inflammatory injection and an epidural nerve- block injection for pain. It's expected that Hamilton will be re-evaluated in the next 3-to-4 days to assess a possible return to baseball activity.