Angels clinch at least tie

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Los Angeles Angels moved to the brink of their third American League West title in four years.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run homer, Garret Anderson had two hits and three RBIs and Los Angeles beat the Seattle Mariners 9-5 Thursday night to clinch at least a tie for the division crown.

Los Angeles built its lead over the second-place Mariners to 9 1/2 games. The Angels will try to become the first team to lock up a division title this season when Joe Saunders takes the mound against former Angel Jarrod Washburn tonight in the second of the four-game series.

The game was interrupted by a shouting and shoving match on the mound between the teams after Mariners reliever Jorge Campillo threw a pitch behind Guerrero’s head in the sixth inning. Campillo, who earlier had given up Guerrero’s homer, was ejected. Seattle manager John McLaren argued the ejection and was also tossed.

There apparently were no punches thrown. Angels starter Jered Weaver had hit Kenji Johjima with a pitch in the fourth inning.

Anderson doubled in a pair of runs and Howie Kendrick singled home two more during a five-run third inning against Ryan Feierabend as Los Angeles erased a 2-0 deficit. Juan Rivera singled home the fifth run.

Guerrero added his 26th homer in the fourth off Campillo after ducking a fastball over his head.

In the sixth, after another pitch sailed over him, Guerrero got up off the deck, pointed at Campillo and began walking to the mound. Seattle first baseman Ben Broussard quickly stepped in front of Guerrero to play peacemaker, then Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia also latched onto the star.