Down two runs in the bottom of the 12th inning, the the Los Angeles Angels staged an improbable rally to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Saturday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Bobby Abreu hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to drive in pinch runner Vernon Wells from third base with the winning run. The Angels sent six batters to the plate in the 12th inning, and collected two hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a crucial throwing error by Josh Bell on a sacrifice attempt by Hank Conger.
The Angels are now five games back of Texas in the American League West.
Adam Jones had four hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 12th inning, Jones scored a pair and drove in a pair on the night, which included his 22nd home run of the season. Hisanori Takahashi was in his third inning of relief when he gave up a hit and a walk in the 12th inning. Fernando Rodney was brought into the game to face the right-handed Jones with two runners on and two outs. Rodney gave up the single, which scored two runs thanks to a throwing error by Torii Hunter.
Rodney (3-5) picked up the victory.
Jordan Walden was asked to come into the game with one out in the eighth inning, with the Angels up 6-5 with runners on first and second. Walden allowed a single to center field to Matt Wieters, bringing home Jones from second base with the tying run. It was the ninth blown save of the season for Walden, tops in the major leagues.
In his first start since August 3, Joel Pineiro allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings. He allowed a home run to Jones, walked none and struck out two. Though both strikeouts were of Josh Bell, who has 71 strikeouts and six walks in 211 career plate appearances, so do they really count?
Hunter singled off Tommy Hunter in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. It is the second-longest streak in his career, behind only a 23-game streak Hunter had while with Minnesota in 2007. During the streak, which has covered every game during August, Hunter is hitting .418/.473/.672.
Mark Trumbo had three hits for the Angels, including his 24th double of the season. After Bourjos homered with one out in the seventh, the Angels didn't get another hit until the bottom of the 12th inning.
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