Rangers magic number remains 2 after loss to Angels
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Mike Trout hit his 28th homer and Jered Weaver went six innings for his 150th career victory in an Angels uniform as Los Angeles beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 5-4 on Wednesday night.
The magic number for Texas (90-63) to win its second consecutive AL West title remained at two after the loss and second-place Houston's 6-5 win earlier at Oakland.
The Rangers have a day off Thursday before playing at Oakland, where they could get their first chance to clinch their seventh division title as early as Friday night's series opener. Houston (81-71) is back home Thursday night for the start of a four-game series against the Angels.
Trout's three-run drive off Derek Holland (7-9) in the fifth put the Angels up 5-1.
Weaver (12-12), who struck out six and allowed four runs, joined Chuck Finley (165) as the only pitchers to win 150 games for the Angels.
A California native who has spent all 11 of his MLB seasons with the Angels, Weaver is 150-93 in 321 career starts. The right-hander 18-8 in 40 career starts against the Rangers, his most wins against any opponent.
Andrew Bailey worked the ninth, allowing a two-run double to Elvis Andrus before hitting Jurickson Profar with a pitch. He earned his fourth save in four chances since his Angels debut Sept. 2.
Holland, who spent two months on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, allowed five runs and six hits in five innings. The lefty struck out three and walked two while throwing only 71 pitches.
After two impressive starts in late August when he came off the DL, Holland has lost his last three starts while giving up 14 runs in 14 2/3 innings.
Rookie outfielder Nomar Mazara had three hits for Texas, including two RBI singles. After his run-scoring hit in the fifth, he scored on Carlos Beltran's homer that got the Rangers within 5-4.
Andrelton Simmons had a leadoff single in the Angels' second, and scored on Gregorio Petit's two-out single. Albert Pujols drove home a run, his 114th RBI, with a single in the third for a 2-0 lead.
SHORT HOPS
The Rangers won the season series against the Angels 10-9. ... Texas is still an MLB-best 36-11 in one-run games. The Rangers won the first two games in the series by one run, both comeback victories that pushed their majors-leading total to 47.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: OF Shin-Soo Choo, out since mid-August because of a fractured left forearm, said he was feeling good as he continues workouts in hopes of being ready for the postseason. He has taken batting practice in the cage, but not on the field yet.
UP NEXT
Angels: Travel about 250 miles south to start their final road series of a season in Houston, with the first of four games on Thursday night.
Rangers: A day off before opening a three-game series Friday in Oakland.