Martin's homer, Feliz's two innings lift Rangers in 11 innings
ANAHEIM -- Leonys Martin hit a leadoff home run in the top of the 11th to put the Rangers ahead and they held on for a 5-4 victory over the Angels on Sunday. Martin's home run came off Angels left-handed reliever Jose Alvarez.
Martin's last home run came on Sept. 11, 2014 against Angels pitcher Cory Rasmus. The Rangers added an extra run that inning off an error by Angels shortstop Erick Aybar. Closer Neftali Feliz pitched two innings to get the victory.
"He got behind in the count and then it got to 3-2," Martin said. "I knew he was going to throw the fastball because he didn't want to put me on base. It was a really good game, coming back, nobody on, two outs in the ninth."
Nick Martinez threw six scoreless innings for the Rangers and they led 2-0 going into the bottom of the seventh. But Mike Trout hit a two-run home run off Anthony Bass to tie the game.
The Angels went ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning on a bases-loaded, one-out single by Johnny Giavotella, but the Rangers tied it in the top of the ninth on three straight two-out singles by Prince Fielder, Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland.
"This should give us some confidence and show our guys we can punch through at the end," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We have been consistently getting the tying and winning runs on late. To grind it out like these guys have been doing every game, there is no quit, it was nice to see the effort rewarded."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rangers get to Smith in the ninth: Angels closer Huston Street pitched Thursday, Friday and Saturday so manager Mike Scioscia decided to use Joe Smith on Sunday to protect a 3-2 lead. He got the first two hitters but Fielder singled to left. Delino DeShields went in to pinch-run. Beltre beat out an infield single and Adam Rosales pinch-ran for him. Moreland came up and singled to right, driving home DeShields with the tying run. More >
Video: TEX@LAA: Moreland's two-out knock ties game in 9th
Walking the tightrope: Angels left-hander Hector Santiago walked a career-high six batters (one intentional) in his 55th career start, but still held the Rangers to two runs (one unearned) in 5 1/3 innings. Santiago allowed four hits -- three singles and Beltre's 531st double -- but no more than one in any inning.
"Hector got himself into trouble, and he got himself out of trouble," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Command was an issue today. His stuff looked good, but at times he had trouble with his release point, and his pitch count went up quickly."
Choo mishap sets up Trout home run: The Rangers led 2-0 going into the bottom of the seventh when Martinez was replaced by Bass. Giovatella, leading off the inning, hit a high fly toward the right-field corner. Right-fielder Shin-Soo Choo got there but couldn't track the ball in the sun. It fell for a double and two batters later, Trout hit a two-run home run to tie the game.
Video: TEX@LAA: Trout evens the score at 2 with two-run shot
Cron's career-high: C.J. Cron went 4 for 4, setting a career-high with his eighth-inning single to right field. Grant Green ran for him, and scored the tiebreaking run on Giavotella's one-out single to center. It was Cron's 92nd career game, and he had three hits Saturday for the fourth time in his two seasons.
"They were throwing me outside a lot, so I just went that way and found some holes," said Cron, who had a bittersweet day. He was upset with his being picked off third base by catcher Carlos Corporan in the fourth, a call that went the Rangers way on replay. "It was close. It was too close. The infield was back, so I shouldn't have been that far off."
Video: TEX@LAA: Cron goes 4-for-4 with a double vs. Rangers
QUOTABLE
"You're naked when you're struggling. There's no hiding." -- Angels manager Mike Scioscia on the slow starts by left fielder Matt Joyce and catcher Chris Iannetta
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Rougned Odor was hit by a pitch for the sixth time in 18 games. At this rate he'll break the record of 51 hit by pitches, set in 1971 by Ron Hunt.
RANGERS GET BIG REVERSAL
The Rangers got a big reversal on instant replay in the bottom of the fourth after Cron doubled to right field with one out and went to third on Choo's error. With Joyce at the plate, catcher Carlos Corporan fired down to third base on a pickoff and Cron went back standing. Third-base umpire Clint Fagan ruled safe, but the Rangers appealed and the call was reversed on instant replay.
Video: TEX@LAA: Safe call overturned in the 4th inning
WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: The Rangers return home and open a three-game series with the Mariners at 7:05 p.m. CT Monday night in Arlington. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo pitches for the Rangers against right-hander Taijuan Walker for the Mariners. The Rangers lost two of three to the Mariners earlier this month in Seattle.
Angels: Right-hander Jered Weaver will pitch Tuesday night in Oakland in the 7:07 p.m. PT opener of a three-game series with the Athletics. Weaver allowed one run in six innings Wednesday against the A's in Anaheim, getting a no-decision in a 9-2 Angels loss. The teams split that four-game series.
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