ANGELS GOOD, A'S BETTER OAKLAND 2, ANGELS 1.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - For six weeks, the Angels and Oakland Athletics played a game of long-distance poker. And no matter how well the Angels played, the A's always were able to up the ante.

Monday night, the teams faced off in person for the first time since July, and the result was no different.

Kevin Appier continued his solid stretch of pitching, but Oakland's Tim Hudson was a tad better in the A's 2-1 victory in front of 28,145 at Edison Field.

The A's victory ended the Angels' winning streak of 10 games, one shy of the franchise record, and it dropped them three games behind Oakland in the American League West. They did, however, maintain their four-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the wild-card chase.

Appier saw his five-start winning streak snapped, despite giving up just five hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings. The former Antelope Valley High star gave up solo home runs to Jermaine Dye and Terrence Long.

Hudson did him one better, giving up just Garret Anderson's fifth-inning home run. A theme could be developing here.

For all the Angels' progress during this, their winningest season ever, it has been trumped by Oakland's dominance.

The Angels' 10-game winning streak? Not bad, but the A's won 20 in a row.

The Angels' four-game lead in the American League wild-card race? That's nice, too, but the A's lead the AL West and that's the title the Angels want.

The teams' neck-and-neck nature even extends to meaningless statistics, like the AL ERA lead. Entering Monday's game that, too, belonged to the A's by a nose (3.66 to 3.68).

Monday was the first of eight games in 11 days between the teams, which could serve as a prelude to the AL championship series. In the opener, the teams responded with a playoff- caliber performance as Oakland won for the 23rd time in its past 24 games.

Hudson set the tone by retiring the first 10 Angels and facing the minimum through four innings. Anderson touched him for a leadoff homer in the fifth, trimming the lead to 2-1.

But three times when the Angels appeared ready to mount a threat, the A's responded with an Anaheim staple this season - brilliant defense.

After Adam Kennedy led off the sixth with a single, he reached third on a sacrifice and groundout. With two out, Scott Spiezio scorched a line drive down the first-base line, but Scott Hatteberg dived to his left, speared the ball and shoveled to Hudson for the final out.

In the seventh, Anderson led off with a single and Hudson then fell behind 3-1 in the count to designated hitter Brad Fullmer.

Fullmer then bounced a groundball up the middle that shortstop Miguel Tejada fielded behind the second base bag. Despite being in an awkward position, Tejada managed a backhand flip to second baseman Mark Ellis, who threw to first to complete the double play.

Hudson fell behind 3-1 to the next batter, Troy Glaus. But he found the outside corner with a curveball on the next pitch, and then smoked him with a fastball to end the inning.

Hudson struck out Tim Salmon to start the eighth, then gave up a single to Bengie Molina, who was replaced by pinch-runner Chone Figgins. Ricardo Rincon relieved Hudson, and the left-hander was able to keep the speedy Figgins at first while striking out pinch-hitter Shawn Wooten. After Rincon jumped ahead of David Eckstein 0-2, Figgins took off for second and was cut down by Ramon Hernandez, preserving the lead for Hudson (13-9).

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Garret Anderson got the only run for the Angels on Monday, a solo homer.

Chris Urso/Associated Press