Peter Bourjos hit a bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, game winning single Tuesday night to give the Angels a 5-4 opening game win over the Chicago White Sox. The win is the Angels fifth straight, matching a season high, plus it draws them to within 3.5 games of the division leading Texas Rangers who lost 11-5 to Boston.

Jordan Walden (4-3) pitched a perfect ninth for the win after Ervin Santana allowed 4 runs on 9 hits over eight innings, striking out 4 and walking one.

The Angels took an early lead when Peter Bourjos scored on a Juan Pierre error in the first inning. Howie Kendrick made it 2-0 with his eleventh home run of the season in the second inning. After Chicago tied the ballgame in the third, Torii Hunter singled to center to score Maicer Izturis to regain the lead.

The White Sox scored lone runs in the fifth and eighth to once again tie the game setting the stage for Bourjos’ single past a drawn in White Sox infield scoring ERick Aybar for the Halo win.

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Two of the Angels’ youth movement homered Friday night, but it was the Halo’s Father Time who led the way in their 8-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles. In the first game of their 3-game series in Anaheim, Peter Bourjos and just returned from Double-A Arkansas Mike Trout went deep to help the Angels win for the second night in a row, but Torii Hunter homered twice to show everyone the old guys can still swing a stick too.

Hunter’s first home run came in the Angels four-run first inning when he sent a Jo-Jo Reyes (6-10) pitch to deep left scoring Alberto Callaspo and Howie Kendrick. Kendrick had singled to score Peter Bourjos after the Angels’ centerfielder had doubled to leadoff the game. With the first inning homer, Hunter extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

Hunter homered again in the seventh, driving in Callaspo for his fourth and fifth RBI of the game.

Dan Haren won for the seventh time in his last eight decisions by allowing three runs on nine hits over seven innings. Haren (13-6) struck out eight and walked none – this was the tenth time Haren has not allowed a walk in his start.

The Halo win allows them to keep pace with the AL West division leading Texas Rangers. The Angels are 6 games behind after Texas won in Chicago by the score of 7-4.

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Ervin Santana managed to contain the hot-hitting Texas Rangers for four innings, even after being staked to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but that all ended in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings. Texas scored a run in the fifth on a Josh Hamilton RBI single to center to score Elvis Andrus, tied the game in the 6th on Mitch Moreland’s 14th home run of the season, and took the lead when Ian Kinsler hit a bloop, two-out, bases loaded single to left to score Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli. The Rangers had loaded the bases with none out before Santana struck out both Yorvit Torrealba and Endy Chavez before getting within one strike of ending the inning.

The Halo loss drops the club to 7 games behind the Rangers with just 38 remaining to play. It was also the Angels’ fifth loss in-a-row, while Texas has won 6 straight and 9 of 10.

Santana (9-9) went 7.2 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking four. The right-hander had won his last five decisions while compiling a stunning 0.84 ERA. However, with the exception of Andrus, each of the Ranger hitters were able to get at least one base hit. Andrus did walk twice in five plate appearances.

Ranger starter C.J. Wilson improved to 12-5 after holding the Angels to two runs (one earned) on five hits over 7 innings. Wilson allowed just one hit after Howie Kendrick’s two-out single in the third inning. The Texas lefty gave up two runs in the first when Peter Bourjos hit his league-leading (tied with Curtis Granderson) 9th triple of the season, and scored on Kendrick’s ground out. After Torii Hunter reached first on an Andrus error, Mark Trumbo doubled to deep center giving the Halos an early 2-0 lead.

Howie Kendrick brought the Angel to within one run with his 9th home run of the season in the eighth innings.

Torii Hunter extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the sixth inning.

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Angels rookie starter Tyler Chatwood didn’t need the run-support he has been rarely provided by the Angels offense. He didn’t need it since he didn’t last through the third inning after giving up five runs on 8 hits. With the 7-3 win, the Rangers increased their division lead to six games, their largest lead of the season.

The Angels’ pitching staff, considered by many to be one of the best in the AL, allowed seven runs on seventeen hits Tuesday night, dropping the Halos to 65-58. Trevor Bell relieved Chatwood in the third, stranding two runners with no one out.

Derek Holland (11-4) came within one out of pitching his 5 complete game of the season, but has now strung together 5 straight wins. Holland allowed 3 runs on nine hits, striking out seven and walking one. The lone walk came with one out in the ninth.

Torii Hunter extended his hitting steak to 14 games with a 2-for-4 performance. Hunter has hit ,442 (23 for 52) over the span. Peter Bourjos and Howie Kendrick also collected two on the night, while disappointing Vernon Well and momentously light-hitting Jeff Mathis went a combined 0-for-7 (0-for2 with runners in scoring position).

The Angels will take the field tonight with Peter Bourjos leading off.  This will be the tenth time this season Bourjos has hit at the top of the Halo order, yet with little success in his nine previous appearances.  In 42 plate appearances, Bourjos has put up a slash-line of .175/.214/.325.  Also moving up in the order is Alberto Callaspo.  Callaspo will bat second after spending most of the season hitting from the 5th or 6th spot.  He also has little success when hitting from tonight's spot, as he's compiled a .182/.208/.364 slash-line in 24 plate appearances.

Of the nine batters, just Torii Hunter and Peter Bourjos have hit above .300 over the past two weeks.  Five regulars have hit below .200, meaning Chatwood will likely have his typically meager run-support.

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If Ervin Santana has been anything, he’s been consistent – consistently great. Friday night in Toronto the Halo hurler won for the fifth straight time, tossing his 3 third complete game in four starts while beating the Jays 5-1. Santana (9-8) allowed one run on 7 hits, while striking out 6 and walking two.

The Angels scored their first run on Vernon Wells’ first at-bat in Toronto as a member of the opposing team. Wells drove Jays’ starter Brandon Morrow’s first pitch to deep left-center after the Toronto crowd gave him a warm, standing ovation. Wells spent the last 12 season as a member of the Toronto squad, playing almost 1400 games with the Jays.

The Halos continued their scoring in the third when Alberto Callaspo singled home Peter Bourjos. After a bobby Abreu walk, Torii Hunter doubled to deep right to score both Callaspo and Abreu. The final Angel run scored on a throwing error by right fielder Jose Bautista after a Russell Branyon double that plated Hunter.

With Friday’s win, Santana has now compiled a 0.83 ERA in his last five starts. In those starts, the right-hander has allowed just 25 hits and 7 walks in 43 innings, while striking out 31.

The Angels are now 45-29 in games started by Santana, Weaver, and Haren, and have not lost more than 2 games in a row since July 16-19.

Some quick game notes:

• The Angels are batting .226 (195 for 862) since the All-Star break.
• Torii Hunter is batting .500 (17 for 34) during his current 9-game hit streak.  His current streak is a season high for the Halo right fielder.
• Ervin Santana has a 4-game win streak in which the Angel starter has compiled a 0.79 ERA (3 ER in 34 IP).
• The Angels pitching staff have 74 quality starts this season, most i the A.L. and third most in the majors.
• Angels' manager Mike Scioscia has used 95 different lineups in 118 games.
• The Angels are 42-17 when they score first.

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Up until Tuesday, Angles' manager Mike Scioscia felt he didn't want to put too much pressure on rookie first baseman Mark Trumbo to bat him any higher than his typical #7 spot in the Angels' batting order.  However, Trumbo leads the team in home runs and RBI, and the Angels #7 spot in the order leads the American League in RBI out of that batting order slot.  The time must be right to move Trumbo up as he's hitting 5th in tonight's order.

Last night's 6-4 comeback win was their 27th of the season, third in the A.L.

The Angels optioned relief pitcher Horatio Ramirez to make room for tonight's starting pitcher Garrett Richards.  The club transfered Francisco Rodriguez to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster.  Richards is also the 14th Angel to make their debut over the last two seasons, while 11 players on the team's 25-man roster have less than 2 years of MLB experience.

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Tyler Chatwood was unable to build on his last start as he fell apart in the sixth inning in Detroit, allowing the Tigers to score four times en route to a 12-2 pummeling. Chatwood (6-7) last 5.1 innings, allowing 6 runs on eight hits, while striking out two and walking two.

The Angels had the lead briefly in the first when Maicer Izturis belted a lead-off home run to right, but Chatwood coughed up a Brennan Boesch solo shot in the bottom half of the inning.

Again in the fifth, the Halos took a 2-1 lead when Mark Trumbo drove in Howie Kendrick from second for his team leading 54th RBI. However, that lead was short lived too as Chatwood gave up a long double to Ramon Santiago that plated Alex Avila to even the score.

The Tigers then poured it on in the 6th, 7th, and 8th by adding 10 runs to put the game far out of reach. Newly added reclamation project Horacio Ramirez allowed four runs in his inning and a third, while typically steady Rich Thompson gave up 2 runs in the 7th after working out of Chatwood’s jam in the sixth.

Fortunately for the Halos the Texas Rangers lost in Toronto, keeping the Angels just two back in their hunt for the AL West lead.

Dan Haren (10-6, 3.01 ERA) gets the start Saturday for the Angels as they look to take a 2-1 series lead.

Mark Trumbo gave within a single of hitting for the cycle and drove in a career-high 5 runs as the Angels beat up on the Tigers Thursday afternoon. With the five RBI, the rookie first baseman now leads the team in runs driven in and home runs. Trumbo homered in the second, hit a triple to deep center in the fourth, and doubled to center in the seventh.

Angels’ starter Joel Pineiro lasted just 3.1 innings after giving up 6 runs (5 earned) on seven hits. Scott Downs allowed his first run in over a month when he gave up a home run to newly acquired Tiger third baseman Wilson Betemit in the eighth. Bobby Cassevah (1-0) picked up his second career win by tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Fernando Rodney made his first appearance for the Halos since returning from the DL July 21st after suffering an upper-back strain June 13th. Rodney pitched a perfect inning, recording 3 outs on just 7 pitches.

The only Angel batter without a hit was Vernon Wells. Trumbo, Erick Aybar, and Alberto Callaspo each contributed three hits, and Howie Kendrick, Peter Bourjos, and Jeff Mathis each had two. Both of Bourjos’ hits were doubles giving him 17 on the year.

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The Angels travel to Detroit to play a 4-game series against the AL Central leading Tigers after taking 2 of 3 and winning their 11^th of 12 series in Cleveland.  Wednesday afternoon's win featured Ervin Santana's no-hitter, the third no-hitter thrown this season - Francisco Liriano and Justin Verlander tossed no-hitters May 3^rd and May 7^th.

Just as importantly, the yesterday's win moved the Angels to within two games of the AL West division leading Texas Rangers who lost to the Minnesota Twins 7-2.  During the month of July, the Halos have compiled a 15-8 record, while the Rangers have gone 16-7, keeping the battle for the division crown a two-team race.

Looking to follow-up Santana's gem is Joel Pineiro (5-5, 4.61 ERA).  Pineiro has been inconsistent this season stringing together good games followed by poor outings.  Prior to this last two starts that saw him give up 8 runs in the first inning against Oakland and 3 run on 11 hits in 5.1 innings against the Orioles, Pineiro had put together back-to-back wins while allowing just 4 runs.  One of those wins came against the Tigers in Anaheim on July 4^th, when the right-hander gave up one run on 5 hits over 7 innings.

Since their dramatic, come from behind victory over the Rangers on July 20^th, the Halo pitchers have been dominant putting up a 1.61 ERA and winning 5 of seven.

Brad Penny (7-7, 4.51 ERA) will get the call for the Tigers in Thursday afternoon's game.  The veteran right-hander lost his last time out when he allowed 4 runs over 7 innings to the Minnesota Twins on July 23^rd.  Penny had won his previous two starts although he gave up a combined 7 runs over 13 innings in those games.

Who's Hot - Last 14 Days:
Alberto Callaspo - 16 for his last 44 (.364), 4 2B
Howie Kendrick - 11 for his last 36 (.306), 3 2B

Jhonny Peralta - 16 for his last 43 (.372), 3 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI
Victor Martinez - 15 for his last 46 (.326)
Miguel Cabrera - 15 for his last 45 (.333), 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI

Who's Cold - Last 14 Days:
Bobby Abreu - 7 for his last 40 (.175)
Torii Hunter - 6 for his last 47 (.128), 2 HR, 16 K
Jeff Mathis - 2 for his last 21 (.095)
Mike Trout - 6 for his last 33 (.182), 2 2B, 1 HR 6 RBI
Mark Trumbo - 8 for his last 43 (.186), 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI

Brennan Boesch - 9 for his last 46 (.196)

Game time is 10:05am (PDT) and will be show on Fox Sports West.  For more Angels' news, be sure to check out Halos Heaven.

Using 105 pitches, Ervin Santana pitched a no-hitter Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland. Santana had his slider working as he struck out 10, while walking just one. The closest the Indians came to getting a hit came in the 6th when Jason Kipnis hit a hard groundball up the middle that second baseman Howie Kendrick made a great diving stop to throw out Kipnis.

The pitching gem was the first no-hitter for an Angels pitcher in 27 years. Mike Witt tossed a perfect game against the Texas Rangers on September 30, 1984.

The Angels tied the game in the 5th when Peter Bourjos tripled to left to lead-off the inning. Bourjos scored on Mike Trout’s sacrifice fly to right.

The Halos took the lead in the 6th and added an insurance run in the 9th when Torii Hunter scored from third on Carlos Santana’s passed ball, just beating the tag at the plate with a nice head-first slide to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Bourjos plated Howie Kendrick with a single up the middle to put the Angels up 3-1.

After Erick Aybar's error in the first allowed Ezequiel Carrera to reach base, Santana retired 22 in a row before walking Lonnie Chisenhall with one out in the 8th.  The Indians run was scored in the bottom of the first on an error, stolen base, groundout and then a passed ball.

The front desk of the Angels hotel was probably swamped with wake-up call requests Tuesday night as the Angels and Indians will play an early 12:05 (EDT) finale to their 3-game series Wednesday morning/afternoon.  The early start time should be something the Angels might be getting used to as they'll play another afternoon game in Thursday's series opener in Detroit.  The Angels are 20-15 in day games and 36-33 at night this season.

Getting up early for the Halos will be Ervin Santana (5-8, 3.69 ERA).  Santana has been somewhat inconsistent this season as his record would indicate.  Sporting a 3.69 ERA usually translates into at least a .500 season, however the right-hander has suffered through bouts of allowing home runs and receiving almost no run-support.  Over his last four starts, Santana has managed to keep the ball in the park, getting the decision in 2 of 3 Angel wins.  Prior to that four-game span, Santana had allowed 9 home runs in 6 starts and losing 4 straight.

In his last outing on July 22nd, Santana went 7.2 innings in Baltimore, allowing one run on 3 hits.

Making his second start of the 2011 season for Cleveland is David Huff (1-0, 0.00 ERA).  The left-hander pitched seven shutout innings against Minnesota July 18th in his first start.