ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kole Calhoun had a tiebreaking, three-run homer among his three hits and Garrett Richards worked into the eighth inning for his 13th victory as the Los Angeles Angels held on to beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Friday night.
Richards (13-4), who struck out seven without a walk in 7 1-3 innings, has won all four of his starts this season against Texas. The right-hander allowed two runs while scattering seven hits.
Los Angeles has won eight consecutive games against the Rangers, including a four-game sweep in Texas going into the All-Star break last month.
Calhoun, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, was also hit by a pitch. The leadoff batter had multiple hits for the fifth time in his last six games.
The Angels led for good after Calhoun's 412-foot shot off Nick Martinez (2-9) into the second deck of seats in right field made it 4-1 in the fifth. Another run scored when Calhoun grounded into a double play in the seventh.
Huston Street worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in as many chances since the Angels acquired him. He has 11 scoreless innings in 11 games since the July 18 trade from San Diego, where he had 24 saves.
Boom! 13th HR of season for @KoleCalhoun, a 3-run shot, gives #Angels a 4-1 lead.
— Angels (@Angels) August 16, 2014
Shin-Soo Choo led off against Richards with a single and came home on the first of Adrian Beltre's four singles, three of them off Richards.
Martinez struck out six while allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.
Jon Edwards, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Round Rock earlier Friday, made his major league debut while pitching the eighth. The right-hander from nearby Keller High became the 57th player, 36th pitcher and 18th rookie for Texas this season.
Handshakes & High Fives for your #Angels! pic.twitter.com/jgAM3DpYOk
— Angels (@Angels) August 16, 2014
The Rangers are one shy of matching the 2002 San Diego Padres for the most pitchers ever used. They are two off the major league record shared by three teams for most players used in one season, including those Padres.
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Angels: Rookie RHP Mike Morin is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, the first day the reliever is eligible to come back after missing 13 games with a cut on his left foot. Morin threw a scoreless inning for Class A Inland Empire on Thursday night before joining the team in Texas. He is 3-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 41 games.
Rangers: Alex Rios was back in RF for the first time since Sunday, when he re-aggravated a right ankle sprain on a slide. After being the DH the previous two games, he did some early work in the field before starting in the outfield.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles goes for its ninth consecutive win against the Rangers, which would match its longest streak in the series, a mark set from 1985-86. Matt Shoemaker tries to become the Angels' third 11-game winner in the middle game of the weekend set. Colby Lewis (9-9) starts for the Rangers.
