Texas Rangers

Sweep avoided

Frank Francisco got the final four outs to save a 4-3 victory for the Rangers, who avoided a four-game sweep to Anaheim. Kevin Millwood won his third straight start, and Josh Hamilton and Marlon Byrd homered.

-- Jeff Wilson

There goes Laird

Ejection No. 3 by Bill Hahn is Gerald Laird, who struck out looking in the eighth. Laird hasn't had a good weekend in his hometown. He didn't start Thursday, which didn't make him happy, and the whole Torii Hunter call was still on his mind this morning. Now, he's ejected, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia will be coming into the game.

-- Jeff Wilson

Millwood pulled

A weak grounder turned into an infield hit and ended the day for Kevin Millwood after 6 2/3 innings. Joaquin Benoit is on to get the last out of the seventh and protect a 4-2 Rangers lead.

-- Jeff Wilson

Hohn pulls trigger again, didn't he?

Marlon Byrd struck out on a checked swing that wasn't a checked swing, apparently said something unkind, and appeared to be tossed by Bill Hohn. Ron Washington sprinted out from the dugout to apparently defend Byrd, who never went to the dugout and is playing left field.

Word now comes from the dugout that Washington was tossed. It's his fourth ejection of the season. It'll be fun to hear his explanation afterward.

-- Jeff Wilson

Millwood injured?

Trainer Jamie Reed and manager Ron Washington have visited Kevin Millwood in the fifth inning, apparently to make sure the right-hander wasn't injured after throwing ball one to Jeff Mathis. He stayed in the game. His velocity is still good.

Millwood has been on the disabled list twice this season with a strained groin. He is making his fourth start since his second DL stint. So far today, he's allowed only three hits. One was a two-run homer by Juan Rivera that has kept the Angels in the game.

-- Jeff Wilson

Scioscia ejected

Angels manager Mike Scioscia disagreed with a denied appeal of a strike by third-base ump Dale Scott, and plate ump Bill Hohn didn't care for Scioscia's objections and tossed him. Hohn and Scioscia had disagreed in the fourth inning when Hohn ruled that Nelson Cruz didn't check his swing on a wild pitch/strikeout and safely reached first base.

-- Jeff Wilson

Missed chance

The Rangers got one of the two runs back that Anaheim scored in the second on a two-run homer by Juan Rivera, but could have gotten more than just the RBI single by Joaquin Arias. The Rangers had the bases load with one out, but Michael Young struck out and Josh Hamilton grounded out to first. It's 4-2 Rangers.

-- Jeff Wilson

Today's lineup

Josh Hamilton's mouth feels better, so he's in the lineup in the finale against the Angels.

Joaquin Arias, 2b

Michael Young, ss

Josh Hamilton, cf

Milton Bradley, dh

Hank Blalock, 1b

Marlon Byrd, lf

Nelson Cruz, rf

Gerald Laird, c

Chris Davis, 3b

Angels 4, Rangers 3

Torii Hunter was the hero again, as well as in the midst of a controversial play that led to at least one Angels run in their third consecutive victory. The Rangers will try to avoid a four-game sweep Sunday at 2:35 CDT.

-- Jeff Wilson

He did it again

Torii Hunter just took a home run away from the Rangers, again. This time he robbed Hank Blalock of a two-run shot in the seventh, a night after robbing Marlon Byrd of a two-run shot in the seventh. Blalock's blast would have put the Rangers up 5-4. Instead, the Angels will come to bat against Luis Mendoza.

-- Jeff Wilson