Abbott’s Gem Helps Angels Break Streak

American League

California manager Marcel Lachemann gushed about all the little things his team did Sunday to stop the skid that had dropped his team from division leaders to wild card scramblers.

Then Lachemann paused, smiled and added the biggest reason: Jim Abbott’s pitching.

“That,” Lachemann said, “goes right at the top of the list.”

Abbott threw a three-hitter and his teammates supported him by being fundamentally sound, a combination that made the slumping Angels again look like contenders in a 5-0 victory over host Texas that ended a nine-game losing streak.

California moved a half-game behind New York in the wild card race and two games behind Seattle in the A.L. West.

Tim Salmon had the biggest hits as he drove in two runs, both with two-out singles. His first-inning RBI hit gave California a lead for the first time in 84 innings.

By the end, practically every Angel came through. Eight starters either scored a run or drove one in and there were several nice defensive plays, the biggest by Damion Easley to save a run in the seventh.

The loss dropped the Rangers three games behind the Angels for the wild card with only six to play. The Rangers had won the first two games of the series, then lost for only the fifth time in 14 games.

Tigers 8, Yankees 3

New York

Detroit rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning and beat New York, ending the Yankees’ six-game winning streak.

Tony Clark and Danny Bautista had back-to-back homers in the eighth when the Tigers sent 10 hitters to the plate.

Andy Pettitte (11-9) held the Tigers to three hits over the first six innings, but Cecil Fielder opened the seventh with a triple and scored on Phil Nevin’s single.

Blue Jays 2, Red Sox 1

Boston

Pinch-hitter Carlos Delgado’s sacrifice fly off Rick Aguilera in the ninth inning gave Toronto the victory over Boston.

Juan Guzman (4-14) snapped a career-high, nine-game losing streak and Mike Timlin pitched the ninth for his fifth save, striking out Dwayne Hosey with the bases loaded to end the game.

Twins 4, White Sox 3

Minneapolis

Matt Merullo’s bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth gave Minnesota the victory over Chicago.

LaTroy Hawkins (2-3) gave up a game-tying homer to Frank Thomas in the top of the ninth, his 39th, but finished with a five-hitter for his first career complete game.

Brewers 5, Orioles 1

Milwaukee

Knuckleballer Steve Sparks limited Baltimore to three hits over 7-1/3 innings and Milwaukee rode a four-run second inning to a win against the Orioles.

Sparks (9-10) won for just the second time in his last 12 appearances and Milwaukee snapped a five-game skid, winning for just the sixth time in 26 games.

Royals 4, Indians 2

Kansas City

Kevin Appier and Jeff Montgomery combined on a five-hitter and Johnny Damon collected two hits and two RBIs as Kansas City beat Cleveland for the first time in nine tries.

Appier (15-9), who was 11-2 after his first 14 starts, had five strikeouts and four walks in 7-2/3 innings as the Royals snapped a six-game losing skid, their longest since 1992.

Clearing the bases

Texas’ Dean Palmer appeared in his first game since rupturing his left bicep tendon June 3… . John Valentin became only the fourth 20-20 player in Boston history when he stole second base in the fourth inning. He has 20 stolen bases and 25 home runs this year. The only other Boston players to reach that mark are Ellis Burks, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jackie Jensen… . Albert Belle’s last seven hits have all been home runs.