Kendry Morales powers Angels to 11-7 win over Oakland; Los Angeles extends AL West lead

Morales powers Angels to 11-7 win over Oakland

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Scott Kazmir probably had no use for the Rally Monkey when he was pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Now, the two-time All-Star will get a chance to benefit from him as he begins the next phase of his big league career with the Los Angeles Angels.

For the ninth time this season, the AL West leaders rallied from a deficit of four or more runs to win Friday night. They did it with a seven-run seventh inning that included a go-ahead three-run homer by Kendry Morales, who was 5 for 5 and tied a career high with six RBIs in an 11-7 victory over Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

“I’m pretty sure everybody knows that we don’t give up. We stay in there and we battle,” Torii Hunter said. “When teams score five runs in one inning against us, we know we’ve got a chance to do it, too. You’ve just got to have a little luck in there somewhere, and we did.”

All seven runs in the seventh were unearned — the result of a two-base throwing error by third baseman Adam Kennedy on Howie Kendrick’s leadoff grounder, and first baseman Daric Barton’s fielding error on a broken-bat grounder by Bobby Abreu with one out.

“We made too many mistakes in that inning,” Oakland manager Bob Geren said. “You can’t give a team with that kind of firepower extra outs.”

The key hits were Vladimir Guerrero’s two-run single off Brad Ziegler (1-4) and Morales’ homer, his 29th, breaking Chili Davis’ club record for the most in a season by a switch-hitter.

“I made a pretty good pitch, a changeup down in the zone,” Ziegler said. “He took a bad swing at it. We had him way out in front, but he still found a way to get the barrel on it.”

One night after the his team was held to just three hits in a 2-0 loss to Trevor Cahill in the series opener, Morales opened the scoring in the second with a solo homer against Brett Tomko and doubled in each of his next two at-bats. For good measure, the Angels’ first baseman added an RBI single in the eighth against Santiago Casilla.

The four extra-base hits by Morales also tied a club mark. His sixth-inning double off Craig Breslow drove in a run, hitting the top of the 18-foot wall in right-center and bouncing back onto the field. The umpiring crew had to look at a replay to uphold the decision by first base ump Greg Gibson, after Angels manager Mike Scioscia contended it was a homer.

Morales’ 29 homers are the most by an Angels first baseman since 2000.

“His potential was there,” Scioscia said. “The fact that it’s happening now is just the culmination of an opportunity that has come to a kid that is very talented. And he wants it. This kid wants to be consistent, he wants to do it year in and year out.”

Jose Arredondo (2-3) pitched two innings of one-hit relief for the victory. Brian Fuentes got two outs for his major league-leading 37th save.

Angels rookie Trevor Bell lasted just 2 2-3 innings in his fourth big league start, giving up five runs and seven hits, including Scott Hairston’s homer during Oakland’s five-run third. The right-hander has a 10.80 ERA since Scioscia inserted him into the rotation on Aug. 12.

The Angels acquired Kazmir from Tampa Bay for two minor leaguers and a player to be named in the hope of bolstering an inconsistent rotation. The two-time All-Star will make his Angels debut either next Tuesday or Wednesday at Seattle, according to Scioscia.

“I’m excited,” center fielder Torii Hunter said. “We kind of got wind of it like the fourth or fifth inning, and I think that gave us a lift. I definitely think Kazmir’s going to help the rotation out a whole lot. I’m glad I don’t have to face him now. He’s on my team.”

At New York, Robinson Cano hit a three-run shot with two outs in the 10th inning off Randy Williams (0-1), his first game-ending home run.

Brian Bruney (4-0) worked a perfect 10th inning for the win.

Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon also homered for New York, and Brian Bruney (4-0) worked a perfect 10th inning for the win.

At Boston, J.D. Drew had two hits, including an eighth-inning double that put David Ortiz in position to score the tiebreaking run for the Red Sox.

It was 5-all when Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek blocked the plate and tagged out Travis Snider just before a 49-minute rain delay in the top of the eighth. When play resumed, Hideki Okajima (5-0) got Aaron Hill on a fly ball to end the eighth.

Brian Tallet (5-8) walked Ortiz leading off the eighth, then Drew doubled one out later and pinch-hitter Casey Kotchman hit a fielder’s choice grounder to make it 6-5.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 31st save.

At Detroit, Brandon Inge homered and scored twice for Detroit before the Rays announced they had traded two-time All-Star Scott Kazmir to the Los Angeles Angels.

Rookie Rick Porcello (11-8) won for the first time since Aug. 6, allowing one run and four hits in 5 2-3 innings. Four relievers combined to finish the six-hitter.

Matt Garza (7-9) took the loss, giving up six runs and five hits in five innings.

At Minneapolis, rookie Brian Duensing (2-1) struck out eight in seven innings in his third career start to lead Minnesota, which has won eight of its last 10 games.

Tommy Hunter (6-3) gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings for the Rangers, who got an RBI-double from David Murphy in the ninth and had the tying run on second base.

Joe Nathan got Chris Davis looking on a close call for his 33rd save.

At Baltimore, rookie Matt Wieters had three hits and a career-high four RBIs, and Nick Markakis and Felix Pie homered for Baltimore.

Baltimore trailed 2-0 in the second before scoring six runs over a four-inning stretch against Fausto Carmona (3-9), while Jason Berken (4-11) won his second straight start by allowing two runs, five hits and three walks in five innings.

At Seattle, reserve shortstop Josh Wilson had his first three-RBI game in more than two years, and former Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney burned his old team with a hustle play.

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (13-5) allowed five hits and three runs in seven innings. He walked one and struck out six in his first win since Aug. 1.

David Aardsma allowed a leadoff single in the ninth before finishing for his 31st save.

Brian Bannister (7-11) lost his fourth consecutive decision, allowing seven hits and six runs — five earned — in 6 2-3 innings.