Angels rolling with runners in scoring position

ANAHEIM -- Production with runners in scoring position was one of the Angels' biggest problems in the early portion of the season.

Lately, though, they've been on a hot stretch.

Over their previous 12 games heading into Saturday, the Angels have hit a Major League-best .385 with runners in scoring position (37-for-96). For the season, that puts them seventh in the Majors in batting average (.264) and 10th in OPS (.737) with runners in scoring position. In terms of productive outs -- accounting for a sac bunt by a pitcher, advancing a runner with none out or driving in a run with one out -- they're tied for 10th, with 471.

Thanks in part to that, they've won 11 of 14.

"I think overall, we've been a little inconsistent with our situational hitting, particularly guys in scoring position," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, whose team was 24th in the Majors with runners in scoring position at the end of April. "We've done a good job of scoring runs with outs this year. But as far as what's fueling these last couple weeks, it starts with the pitching, and we've done a great job of situational hitting. We're not really killing the ball out of the park, but I think we're doing a good job with guys on base and putting the ball in play and hitting it hard."