ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jered Weaver allowed one run in seven innings for his 12th victory, and Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout homered off Texas starter Derek Holland as the Angels opened a key three-game series against the Rangers with a 6-1 victory.
The Angels trimmed the Rangers' lead in the American League West to five games. The clubs play six times over the next two weeks.
Elvis Andrus hit his first homer since April 11 in the first inning, but the Angels countered it in their half of the first and went ahead for good with a three-run fourth against Holland (6-5).
The Rangers missed a few chances against Weaver, and none was bigger than in the third. Mike Napoli started it with a single and went to third on a double by Craig Gentry with no outs. Ian Kinsler, though, would pop out, and after Andrus walked, Josh Hamilton bounced into an inning-ending double play.
It proved costly in the fourth as the Angels scored three times against Holland. Four of the first five hitters collect a base hit, including a two-run double by Erick Aybar.
That would be enough for Weaver (12-1) and two relievers. Weaver was the winner despite not being at his best. The Rangers made him throw 89 pitches through five innings, and he was at 116 when he left the game after a 1-2-3 seventh. But he found the right pitch whenever he got in trouble.
The Angels' dynamic duo of Trumbo and Trout added solo homers in the sixth and seventh off Holland, who lasted 6 2/3 innings in his third start since coming off the disabled list July 6. He allowed nine hits and failed to record a strikeout.
-- Jeff Wilson
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