Chone Figgins, batting fourth for the first time in his career, drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded single and Francisco Rodriguez set a club record with his major league-leading 47th save as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 Saturday night.
Figgins, who has spent most of his career as a leadoff hitter before getting dropped to the ninth spot earlier this month, was 2-for-4 with a first-inning double. Manager Mike Scioscia promised his versatile utilityman that he would bat him fourth if he got a bunt single Friday night _ which he did.
Oakland starter Dan Haren left after six innings with a 6-3 lead. He allowed eight hits, including solo homers by Garret Anderson in the first inning and Adam Kennedy in the sixth. It was the fifth time this season that the bullpen failed to hold a lead for the right-hander, who finished the regular season with a 4.12 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 223 innings, spanning 34 starts.
Maicer Izturis greeted reliever Ron Flores (1-2) with a two-out, two-run double in the eighth to slice Oakland's lead to 6-5. Kirk Saarloos loaded the bases with a walk to Jeff Mathis, and Figgins lined an 0-1 pitch to centre, scoring Izturis and Reggie Willits for the lead.
Hector Carrasco (7-3) got the win, allowing one hit and striking out three over three scoreless innings of relief. The playoff-bound Athletics got only one hit after Eric Chavez's two-out solo homer in the third.
Rodriguez struck out the side in the ninth to break the Angels' previous club record for saves, set by Bryan Harvey in 1991.
Tim Salmon, who will play the final game of his 15-year Angels career on Sunday as the designated hitter, started in right field for the third time this season. He carried the lineup card to home plate and received one of many standing ovations the sellout crowd of 43,944 would shower him with on the night, which began with a video tribute.
Salmon was stuck at his position for 22 minutes and 36 pitches during a five-run first inning by the Athletics, who were beaten 2-0 by John Lackey and 6-0 by Ervin Santana the previous two nights.
Rookie Joe Saunders found himself in a bases-loaded jam after just 11 pitches, as No.3 hitter Milton Bradley bounced a sharp single off the pitcher's right calf. Saunders walked Frank Thomas to force in a run and Jay Payton followed with a sacrifice fly.
Nick Swisher drove a 1-2 pitch to left-centre one out later for his 35th homer, increasing the switch-hitter's RBI total to 95. Scioscia then lifted Saunders for precautionary reasons, allowing Kevin Gregg as much time as he needed to warm up _ further delaying Salmon's first at-bat.
Batting second, Salmon grounded weakly to the mound on a checked swing and Anderson hit his 17th home run on the next pitch. Mike Napoli narrowed the gap to 5-2 in the second with an RBI single.
Chavez hit his 22nd homer in the third to make it 6-2. Kennedy got the Angels a run closer in the sixth with his fourth homer and the 31st allowed by Haren.
Notes: Salmon, who left the field in the top of the eighth with the theme from ``The Natural'' blaring over the public address system, has one more shot at getting the home run that will put his career total at 300. He has one homer in eight career at-bats against Sunday's scheduled starter, Rich Harden. ... Oakland's Jason Kendall became the first player in major league history to catch 140 games in eight different seasons, breaking Hall of Famer Gary Carter's record. ... Vladimir Guerrero received the Gene Autry Trophy in a pregame ceremony at home plate after his teammates selected him as the Angels' MVP for the second time in three seasons. Guerrero was the AL MVP in 2004. ... Angels rookie RHP Jered Weaver plans to attend all of the St. Louis Cardinals' post-season games and spend time with his brother Jeff, whom he replaced in the Angels' rotation _ and on their roster _ on June 30. ... Oakland has not been shut out in three consecutive games since Sept. 9-12, 1979. The Angels haven't pitched three straight shutouts since the final week of the 1974 season.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
