ANGELS DO THE HUSTLE IN DEFEATING OAKLAND AGGRESSIVE BASERUNNING HELPS LIFT L.A. ANGELS 3, OAKLAND 2.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA  Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Angels hustled past the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday, seemingly in a hurry to regain the top spot in the American League West.

With runs at a premium, Angels third-base coach Dino Ebel helped make things happen with some aggressive decisions in a 3-2 victory over the A's.

The Angels and A's have played 16 one-run games in their past 32 meetings.

Twice Angels baserunners scored from second base on the equivalent of infield singles to help the Angels move back to within a half-game of the first-place A's.

In the first inning, Orlando Cabrera never stopped running from second base when Vladimir Guerrero hit a high chopper to the left of the mound. A's pitcher Joe Blanton fielded the ball and threw to first, and when A's first baseman Nick Swisher bobbled the throw, Cabrera scored easily.

With the score tied 2-2 in the seventh inning, Maicer Izturis used the same aggressive running tactic from second base when Cabrera hit a bouncing ball over second base. A's shortstop Marco Scutaro fielded the ball just beyond the infield dirt and threw home, but Izturis slid around the tag of catcher Jason Kendall.

``We need to take it to another level because our slugging percentage is not where we thought it would be or matching it with some other clubs we play,'' manager Mike Scioscia said of his team, which has scored four runs in the past two games after scoring 39 in its previous four games.

``We really need to maximize every opportunity we get when we get on base.''

It was intangibles like that, not to mention solid fundamentals, that the Angels rode all the way to last season's American League Championship Series. There was also a little bit of pitching that fueled a run deep into the playoffs and that was also on display Tuesday.

Joe Saunders, who was added to the roster before the game, kept the A's in check by allowing just two runs over seven innings. The victory helped the Angels improve to 10-1 when rookies have started a game. The only defeat came Saturday with Jered Weaver on the mound, although the right-hander received a no-decision.

``I tried to keep the ball down the best I could and let my defense play for me,'' Saunders said. ``I think the key tonight was really baserunning. I thought we ran the bases really well and fielded the ball great and got some key hits in key situations.

Saunders opened the game with five scoreless innings before the A's scored in the sixth on a single by Frank Thomas. They got a home run by Jay Payton in the seventh.

Thomas' single would have yielded two runs if not for a perfect throw to the plate from Juan Rivera in left field. Jason Kendall scored from third on Thomas' single and Mark Kotsay was trying to score from second base.

Rivera fired a one-hopper to catcher Mike Napoli that appeared to pick up speed when it skipped off the tightly cropped infield grass. Napoli's tag was just in time and instead of a 2-1 A's lead, the score was tied 1-1.

``It was huge,'' Saunders said of the throw. ``That was the play of the game, him and two baserunning plays we had. Our defense is probably one of the best in baseball, I think, when we need to be.''

The Angels made it 2-1 in their half of the sixth by taking advantage of an A's error. With Garret Anderson on first base, Howie Kendrick hit a ball in to the gap in right-center. When Payton bobbled the ball on the warning track, Ebel waived home Anderson.

Despite a sore foot that has bothered Anderson since spring training, he beat the throw home, sliding through Kendall's foot as he tried to block the plate.

The seventh-inning run scored by Izturis came just in time to give Saunders the chance at the victory. He improved to 2-0 and has given up four runs (three earned) over 14 innings of his two starts with the Angels this season.

After the usually dependable combination of Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez blew a chance at victory Saturday at Boston, they came through this time.

Shields pitched a perfect eighth inning and gave way to Rodriguez in the ninth. After the right-hander walked Frank Thomas to open the ninth, he retired Eric Chavez, Jay Payton and Milton Bradley on strikeouts.

Bradley, who hit a game-ending, three-run home run Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays, struck out looking.

Rodriguez recored his 26th save in 29 chances.

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez and teammate Orlando Cabrera celebrate after beating Oakland.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

(2) Angels starter Joe Saunders improved to 2-0 after beating Oakland. He gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings Tuesday.

Matt A. Brown/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. OAKLAND

- Doug Padilla