ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Dan Haren allowed two runs over six innings in his first start off the disabled list, and the Angels used a two-run homer from Albert Pujols in a three-run seventh to put away the Rangers 7-4 on Sunday night.
The loss trimmed a game from the Rangers' lead in the American League West. It sits at five after the Angels took 2 of 3 in the weekend series. The A's are only 5 1/2 games back after they swept four weekend games from the Yankees.
Matt Harrison (12-5) lost for only the second time since May 12, when the Angels beat him 4-2. Harrison is 17-6 lifetime against AL West foes, but only 3-4 against the Angels.
Mike Trout led off the first with a triple to right field and scored two batters later on an Albert Pujols double to give the Angels a quick 1-0 lead. They scored two more in the second, an inning that started with a bloop single and a chopper over Adrian Beltre's head that went for a double.
The Rangers responded with a two-run homer by Nelson Cruz, his first since June 23, to make it 3-2.
Harrison would settle down over the next three innings, allowing only a single to Mark Trumbo in the third and a walk to Trout to start the fifth. Trout, though, would be left at third in large part because of Beltre knocked down a Pujols liner that Elvis Andrus turned into the second out.
Howie Kendrick started the sixth with a double, but Harrison left him there by retiring the next three Angels. He would face only one more batter, Bobby Wilson, who hit his first homer of the season on a 2-0 pitch to start the seventh.
Alexi Ogando entered and allowed a one-out single to Torii Hunter. Pujols followed with a drive to center field for a 6-2 lead. Ogando had worked a scoreless inning Saturday but has struggled in his three other outings since leaving the disabled list Tuesday. He faced five batters Sunday and allowed four hits.
Mike Adams didn’t fare much better in the eighth after the Rangers had scored on a two-out single by Young. The first three Angels had hits against Adams to cancel out the run.
The Rangers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrus. Josh Hamilton, though, struck out to end the game.
-- Jeff Wilson
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