Robinson Tejeda pitched 6 2-3 strong innings, Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer and the Texas Rangers put the Los Angeles Angels on the verge of playoff elimination with a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.

The Angels had knocked a game off Oakland's lead in the AL West for three consecutive days with a three-game winning streak, but things unravelled quickly against the Rangers.

Kelvim Escobar (11-14) allowed five runs on seven hits in 1 2-3 innings _ his shortest outing of the season _ dropping Los Angeles into a hole from which it never recovered.

The Angels are facing a post-season on the sidelines a year after advancing to the American League Championship Series, which they lost to the eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox. A win by the A's, who were playing at Seattle on Tuesday night, would eliminate Los Angeles.

The Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak, and need one win in their final four road games to post a winning record away from home.

Tejeda (5-4) gave up one run on 10 hits, struck out three and walked none. Wes Littleton pitched two perfect innings for his first career save.

Teixeira hit his 30th homer of the season on a 3-1 pitch from Escobar in the first inning.

The Rangers scored three times in the second, which Escobar opened by giving up four consecutive hits, prompting boos from the crowd. Rod Barajas, Nelson Cruz and Michael Young had RBI singles that extended Texas' lead to 5-0.

Escobar was replaced by Hector Carrasco.

The Angels scored their first run on Garret Anderson's RBI single with two outs in the fifth. In the eighth, Juan Rivera hit his 23rd homer off Ron Mahay, who was then relieved by Littleton.

Notes: Carrasco went 5 1-3 innings, the longest outing by an Angels' reliever this season. ... The Angels lead the season series 10-8, having won five of nine at home going into Wednesday's series finale. ... The Rangers climbed back to .500 with the victory.