Millwood gets 3rd win of season, Orioles beat Angels 5-0 with 2-run HR from Bell

more images

more images

Millwood: 7 scoreless in O’s win over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kevin Millwood scattered six hits over eight gritty innings and Orioles No. 9 hitter Josh Bell hit a two-run homer, leading Baltimore to a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

Millwood (3-14) won for the first time since posting back-to-back interleague wins over San Diego and Florida on June 19 and June 24. The 35-year-old right-hander, who spent his previous four seasons with the Texas Rangers, beat an AL team for the first time since pitching a complete-game 11-3 victory at Angel Stadium on Oct. 1, his final start of 2009.

Millwood struck out five, walked one, and escaped jams in the fifth and seventh innings after the Angels put runners at the corners with one out both times.

Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit in his first appearance since April 30. He had been sidelined because of inflammation in his right elbow, and was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list Friday.

The Halos were shut out for the seventh time this season and fourth time in 14 games. They have been held to fewer than three runs in 26 of 70 games since June 8.

A victory on Sunday would give Baltimore a sweep of the season series, the first for either club in the 50 years since they began playing each other. The Orioles swept the Angels at Camden Yards in Buck Showalter’s first three games after taking over as manager on Aug. 3.

The Orioles, whose 47-83 record is the second-worst in the majors, are 15-11 this month with two games remaining. It will be their first winning record in August since 1997, when they were 18-10. The last time Baltimore had a winning record in any month was June 2008 (15-12).

Scott Kazmir (8-12) gave up four runs and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings. The left-hander is 1-7 with an 8.29 ERA over his last nine starts, after winning his previous four outings.

Kazmir matched zeros with Millwood until the fifth. Bell, who hit his first two big league home runs a week ago against Cliff Lee, drove Kazmir’s 0-2 pitch over the 18-foot wall in right-center after Cesar Izturis beat out an infield single up the middle.

The Angels mounted a threat in the fifth after a walk and a hit-and-run single by Torii Hunter, but shortstop Izturis fielded rookie Peter Bourjos’ hard grounder up the middle and stepped on the bag before completing the double play.

Two innings later, Millwood retired Bobby Wilson and Bourjos on popups after Mike Napoli doubled with one out and took third on Erick Aybar’s single.

The Orioles increased the margin to 4-0 in the sixth. Ty Wigginton led off with a double and made it all the way home on Jake Fox’s infield hit to the right of the mound.

Kazmir fielded the ball, then had to sprint to first base when he saw that Napoli, a converted first baseman, was nowhere near the bag. Fox slid safely as Kazmir toppled over him, and Wigginton easily beat the one-hop throw to the plate that Kazmir made from the seat of his pants. Corey Patterson ran for Fox and scored on a single by Izturis.

Craig Tatum drove in the Orioles’ final run with an RBI single in the eighth.

NOTES: Kobe Bryant, wearing a Torii Hunter jersey, attended the game with his wife and daughters Natalia and Gianna. Natalia threw a ceremonial first pitch to Jered Weaver. … Don’t expect to see Orioles manager Buck Showalter back behind the “Baseball Tonight” desk at ESPN doing postseason analysis. Showalter expects to undergo knee surgery the day after the regular season ends, and will be busy with other responsibilities related to the Orioles’ organization. “I know we’re going to have a minicamp in Baltimore and get a chance to see some of our guys,” Showalter said, adding with a straight face: “I’m not going back to ESPN. I can’t be bought.” … Millwood used 10 pitches to retire the side in order in the first inning — something he didn’t do in any of his previous 16 starts, after pitching a 1-2-3 first in eight of his first nine outings this season. He has allowed a major league-worst 38 first-inning runs this season. … Orioles 2B Brian Roberts sat out the game because of a left hip strain, an injury he aggravated during Friday night’s victory. The two-time All-Star, who has played in no fewer than 155 games in any of the previous three seasons, has been limited to just 35 games this season — mostly because of back problems. … Orioles CF Adam Jones sat out his fourth straight game because of a bruised left shoulder after getting hit by a pitch from Gavin Floyd during the Orioles’ 7-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.