Angels Manager Mike Scioscia has long said his team will go only as far as its starting pitchers carry it. If that is true, the Angels probably won't go much further.
On Saturday, the Orioles pounded the Angels' Ervin Santana for two home runs in a five-run first inning, then cruised to a 6-2 win. The Angels' fourth loss in six games left them at least 3 1/2 games behind Texas in the American League West standings with 11 games to play.
Santana, who has lost his last three starts, struggled from the outset, walking leadoff hitter Matt Angle on four pitches and then giving up a two-run homer to the next batter, J.J. Hardy. After a single and a walk, Mark Reynolds followed with a three-run homer.
Santana drilled the next hitter, Nolan Reimold, and hit Reynolds in the head when he came to bat again in third inning, earning a warning from plate umpire Alfonso Marquez.
Although Santana eventually settled down, giving up one more hit before leaving after seven innings, the Angels never did get their offense on track against Baltimore starter Zach Britton (10-10), who struck out a career-high seven in seven innings did not give up a hit until Mike Trout's infield single with one in the fifth.
Trout later scored on Bobby Wilson's sacrifice fly. The Angels' only other run came after a leadoff walk and Vernon Wells' two-out triple in the ninth, but by then the game had been decided.
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