AMERICAN LEAGUE

Angels’ Morales hits two home runs in sixth

— Kendrys Morales homered from both sides of the plate during a nine-run sixth inning, capping the burst with a grand slam in the Los Angeles Angels’ 15-8 rout of the Texas Rangers on Monday night.

Morales became the third switch hitter in major league history to hit a home run as a left-hander and right hander in the same inning. Carlos Baerga did it for Cleveland in 1993 and Mark Bellhorn of the Chicago Cubs duplicated the feat in 2002.

The Angels won the opener of the four-game series and closed within four games of AL West-leading Texas.

Morales connected for a two-run shot in the sixth as a lefty off Texas starter Roy Oswalt that put the Angels ahead 5-3. Morales then hit a grand slam off Robbie Ross from the right side.

Morales became the 25th player in AL history to hit two home runs in the same inning.

Mike Trout homered, drove in four runs and scored three times for the Angels. Maicer Izturis also homered and Albert Pujols doubled twice and singled.

Josh Hamilton hit his 29th home run, doubled and singled for Texas. Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli also homered for the Rangers.

Ervin Santana (5-10) gave up 3 runs and 4 hits over 5 innings. Oswalt (3-2) was chased in the sixth, and allowed eight runs and 11 hits.

The Angels ended a 24-inning scoreless drought when Izturis homered in the second. Trout added a two-run shot in the third.

It was 3-3 when the Angels broke loose in the sixth. Pujols led off with a double, Morales homered and Los Angeles hit five consecutive singles with one out.

After Trout’s two-run single, Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) struck out and Pujols was intentionally walked to again load the bases. Morales followed with his 11th home run of the season for a 12-3 lead.

The last big leaguer with six RBI in an inning was Juan Uribe of the San Francisco Giants in 2010 at Wrigley Field against Chicago.

The Rangers were in the midst of an 0-for-29 slump with runners in scoring position before converting on their first two opportunities of the game.

Texas scored twice in the second on the first of two sacrifice flies by Michael Young and David Murphy’s RBI double.

RED SOX 7, TIGERS 3 Dustin Pedroia hit a tie breaking home run and drove in three runs to support Clay Buchholz’s eight solid innings in leading host Boston to its third consecutive victory.

ORIOLES 5, YANKEES 4 Nick Markakis drove in two runs, backing a solid outing by rookie Miguel Gonzalez, and visiting Baltimore held on to beat struggling New York. Gonzalez (3-2) cruised through 6 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and two runs before he was chased by consecutive home runs from Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki.

TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 6 Jamey Caroll’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning scored Alexi Casilla and host Minnesota beat Chicago.

National League BRAVES 8, MARLINS 2 Jason Heyward homered and scored three runs and host Atlanta snapped a string of 16 consecutive losses on Mondays, including 12 this season, by beating Miami.

PADRES 11, REDS 5 Will Venable drove in four runs and San Diego snapped host Cincinnati’s 10-game winning streak.

CUBS 14, PIRATES 4 Anthony Rizzo and Darwin Barney each hit a three-run home run and host Chicago routed Pittsburgh. Starlin Castro had a two-run shot and reached base four times as the Cubs won for the 11th time in their past 13 games at Wrigley Field.

BREWERS 8, ASTROS 7 Cody Ransom hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run in the eighth inning and host Milwaukee held on to beat Houston.

Monday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta 8, Miami 2 San Diego 11, Cincinnati 5 Chicago Cubs 14, Pittsburgh 4 Milwaukee 8, Houston 7 Arizona at LA Dodgers, (n) NY Mets at San Francisco, (n) AMERICAN LEAGUE Baltimore 5, N.Y. Yankees 4 LA Angels 15, Texas 8 Boston 7, Detroit 3 Minnesota 7, Chicago White Sox 6 Tampa Bay at Oakland, (n) Toronto at Seattle, (n)

Sports, Pages 18 on 07/31/2012

Upcoming Events