Angels rally in 8th on Abreu’s two-run single to beat Rockies 4-3

Angels rally to beat Rockies 4-3

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Bobby Abreu drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a bases-loaded single in the eighth inning after Colorado third baseman Ian Stewart messed up two bunt plays, and the Los Angeles Angels won 4-3 Tuesday night to hand the Rockies their second loss in 19 games.

Colorado had won six straight overall and a club-record nine in a row on the road.

Troy Tulowizki’s two home runs and three RBIs helped Ubaldo Jimenez (6-7) take a 3-2 lead into the eighth. But the right-hander walked Jeff Mathis leading off the inning, and Erick Aybar was awarded a bunt single after Stewart fielded the ball up the line and looked toward second before throwing late to first.

Chone Figgins followed with a bunt toward the mound and Jimenez got it to third in time for an apparent force, but Stewart didn’t have his foot on the bag when he took the throw. Abreu worked the count to 3-1 before singling to right field.

Juan Rivera homered for the Angels and Kevin Jepsen (2-2) pitched a perfect eighth for the victory. Former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes got three outs for his major league-leading 20th save in 23 chances.

Colorado is 19-6 since Jim Tracy replaced Clint Hurdle as manager on May 29. Tracy, who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to a division title in 2004, just missed becoming the third manager since 1900 to take over a team in midseason and win 20 of his first 25 games.

Jimenez allowed four runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings and struck out five. The critical eighth-inning walk was the right-hander’s only one of the game.

Sean O’Sullivan gave up three runs and five hits in his second major league start. The 21-year-old right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday when Ervin Santana was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of soreness in his triceps.

O’Sullivan filled in for Santana last Tuesday at San Francisco, allowing a run and five hits over seven innings in an 8-1 victory his big league debut.

The Rockies were trailing 2-1 when Brad Hawpe led off the sixth with a single. Two pitches later, Tulowitzki hit a towering drive off the left field pole for his second homer of the game and 12th this season, the most among big league shortstops. The multihomer effort was the first of his career and the fifth this season by a Rockies player.

Colorado tied it 1-all in the fourth when Tulowitzki hit his 11th homer into the left field bullpen — one pitch after O’Sullivan got a spike caught on the rubber and buzzed a fastball just past Tulowitzki’s head and to the backstop. The Angels regained the lead in the bottom half when Rivera drove a 3-2 pitch to left-center with two outs for his 11th homer.

Notes: Angels DH Vladimir Guerrero, who came in with only one homer in 128 at-bats this season, had his trademark dreadlocks cut off Tuesday before he got to the ballpark. … The Rockies have homered in a season-high seven straight games. … One night after six wild pitches got past Mike Napoli, tying an Angels club record, Mathis started behind the plate.