ANGELS STAYING ALIVE SAUNDERS GOES SEVEN INNINGS, GIVES UP SIX HITS IN VICTORY ANGELS 8, TEXAS 3.

Byline: BEN VILLA Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- With the Angels all but eliminated from the playoff picture after Monday night, at least they can take solace knowing that they have staved off the seeming inevitable for at least one more night.

Vladimir Guerrero hit two home runs and Joe Saunders pitched seven strong innings to win his sixth game of the season as the Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 8-3 in front of 39,781 at Angel Stadium.

And then it got better for the Angels. The A's blew a 9-6 lead in the ninth inning and lost to Seattle 10-9, keeping Oakland's magic number stuck at two.

The Angels still have a series against Oakland this weekend to end the regular season, and they can only hope the A's haven't clinched by then.

``I think we've proven we're not going to melt down the stretch, and we're a confident club right now,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Obviously, we need help, but if we can make this weekend meaningful, then I like our chances. It's just too bad we dug ourselves into such a deep hole that we need help. It would be disappointing if this weekend didn't mean anything.''

If the Angels fail to qualify for the postseason for the first time in three years, at least they seemed to have found a bright spot for next year in Saunders. The rookie left-hander, who is only in the rotation because Bartolo Colon is hurt, has pitched better down the stretch with an extra day's rest.

After a wobbly start in which he gave up runs in the second and third innings, Saunders settled down. He managed to get through seven innings while throwing 97 pitches, 64 of them for strikes. He wound up scattering six hits while striking out four and not issuing a single walk.

More importantly for Saunders though, is the fact that if Colon is not healthy enough to join the Angels on Opening Day next season, he could easily step into the rotation as the fifth starter.

The Angels' offense also had a good night on Monday, pounding out 18 hits and scoring at least one run in each of the first four innings. In fact, every Angels starter had at least one hit.

They jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when Guerrero continued his domination of Rangers pitching.

With Orlando Cabrera at first base, Guerrero blasted a 1-0 pitch off Edinson Volquez deep into the left-field bleachers to give the Angels a 2-0 lead.

They made it 3-1 in the second on an RBI single by Maicer Izturis, and one inning later, Howie Kendrick drove in Juan Rivera to increase their lead to 4-2.

In the fourth inning, they finally chased Volquez after Chone Figgins belted his eighth home run, and a couple of batters later, Rivera drove in Orlando Cabrera for the Angels sixth run.

The Angels scored again in the sixth inning when Rivera, who finished 4 for 4, drove in Cabrera again on an infield single.

The Rangers tried to get back in the game in the top of the eighth inning after Brendan Donnelly relieved Saunders.

Joaquin Arias led off the inning with a base hit and he eventually came around to score on a Carlos Lee single.

Scioscia, however, went to his bullpen again, and Scot Shields replaced Donnelly and managed to get Mark DeRosa to groundout to third base to end any hopes of a comeback.

Guerrero capped the Angels' scoring in the bottom of the eighth in dramatic fashion. Ranger's reliever Frank Francisco had entered the game and he brushed Guerrero back with a fastball around his chin.

But Guerrero got the best revenge possible when he smacked his second home run of the game over the center-field fence to give him 33 for the season.

It was the 29th time in his career that he's had a multi-homer game.

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Photo:

The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero hits a single during the fourth inning of Monday's game against Texas. Guerrero had two home runs as the Angels pounded out 18 hits.

Jeff Lewis/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. TEXAS

- Ben Villa