ANDERSON ISN'T LEFT OUT HIS GRAND SLAM IN 11TH LIFTS ANGELS ANGELS 5, TEXAS 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas - Buck Showalter was going by ``the book,'' the one virtually all major-league managers follow, almost to a fault.

Somewhere in the book, it tells managers to bring in that situational left-hander to face that dangerous left-handed hitter. So the Texas Rangers' manager brought in lefty Brian Shouse to face the Angels' Garret Anderson with the game on the line Tuesday night at Ameriquest Field.

Anderson ruined Showalter's best laid plans, hitting a grand slam in the 11th inning to lift the Angels to a 5-1 victory over the Rangers, the Angels' eighth win in a row. It also increased the Angels' American League West lead over Texas to 8 1/2 games, an increase of seven games in the past 10 days.

Chone Figgins opened the 11th with a single and went to third on Darin Erstad's double off losing pitcher Kameron Loe, who then walked Vladimir Guerrero intentionally to load the bases. Showalter went to the mound, in came Shouse and out went the baseball.

``That's the book,'' Anderson said. ``You play by the book - that's what I expect. If they didn't play by the book, they'd have to answer questions after the game. I think I was 0 for 6 against him, so you can't argue with that at all.''

Anderson is hitting .363 against left-handers this season and .284 vs. right-handers, and four of his nine homers have come against left- handers.

``I always feel comfortable vs. lefties,'' Anderson said. ``I've never cared about lefty-righty.''

Anderson increased his team-leading RBI total to 57 with the slam, the seventh of his career. And it came after he went hitless in his first four at-bats Tuesday.

``That's Garret,'' Angels starter Jarrod Washburn said. ``He's one of the best hitters I've seen in my life. We're fortunate to have two of the best hitters I've ever seen in my life.''

Washburn didn't stick around long enough to get the victory. He pitched well, giving up one run and seven hits in seven innings, but got his ninth no-decision of the season. Brendan Donnelly (6-2) got the victory with a scoreless inning, joining Scot Shields (6-4) as Angels relievers who have more wins than Washburn (4-3).

``If I have to listen to some smart-(aleck) relievers give me (a hard time), I'm fine with that,'' Washburn said. ``As long as we win, that's all that matters.''

The Angels picked up where they left off Monday, scoring in the first inning. After scoring in each of the final six innings Monday, the Angels extended the string to seven consecutive innings when Erstad singled and scored on Guerrero's double for a 1-0 lead.

For Guerrero, it marked the 29th consecutive game in which he has hit safely against the Rangers. It's the longest streak by a player against a particular team since Ryan Klesko hit in 29 straight against the Houston Astros from 1999 to 2002.

Rangers starter John Wasdin started a streak of his own, holding the Angels scoreless over the next seven innings and leaving with the game after eight innings with the score tied 1-1.

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 5 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Angels' Garret Anderson beats the Rangers with an 11th-inning grand slam Tuesday.

Linda Kaye/Associated Press

(2) Angels pitcher Jarrod Washburn walks back to the mound as Texas' Michael Young, above, rounds third base after his first-inning home run.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Box:

(1) ANGELS at TEXAS

- Joe Haakenson

(2) STORY LINES

(3) GAME RECAP

(4) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(5) ANGELS ALMANAC