ANGELS STRIKE LATE HOMERS BY FULLMER, SALMON, GLAUS SINK TEXAS ANGELS 7, TEXAS 5.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - For 8 1/3 innings Wednesday night, the Angels' ``little ball'' approach was just too little.

They managed only two runs off Texas Rangers starter Ismael Valdes (seven innings) and Anthony Telford (one inning) heading into the bottom of the ninth, trailing 4-2. Then they went big, getting home runs on consecutive pitches by Brad Fullmer and Tim Salmon off Rangers closer Hideki Irabu with one out in the ninth.

Problem was, the two homers only tied the game. In the top of the 10th, Herbert Perry's one-out triple off Al Levine scored Calvin Murray to give the Rangers a 5-4 lead.

But in the bottom of the 10th, the Angels rallied again with three runs, the final two coming on Troy Glaus' two-run homer off Irabu to give the Angels a dramatic 7-5 win before 15,301 at Edison Field.

It was the Angels' fourth win in a row and kept them within two games of the first-place Mariners in the AL West.

Glaus came to the plate in the 10th hitless in his first four at-bats. After striking out against Rangers starter Ismael Valdes in the third inning, he slammed his bat and helmet to the ground. But with the score tied at 5 and Darin Erstad on first base in the 10th, Glaus hammered a 2-1 fastball into the rock formation beyond the center-field fence for the win.

``There's nothing you can do about the first four at-bats,'' Glaus said. ``(Bench coach Joe Maddon) has been telling me for years, it only takes one at-bat to have a great day. Tonight it worked out.''

Though Glaus' homer won it, the winning rally began in the 10th with Adam Kennedy's ground-rule double to right field. David Eckstein, whose error in the seventh inning led to an unearned run, squared to bunt Kennedy over to third.

Eckstein bunted toward third base, but the third baseman Perry broke back to cover third and by the time Irabu picked the ball up Eckstein easily beat it out. Erstad followed with a slow grounder to shortstop that forced Eckstein at second but scored Kennedy to tie the game.

``Eck's a terrific bunter,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``That bunt was tough to read and Eck put it in no man's land. The home runs were obviously a big story today, but our offense is more than home runs. Adam getting on base and Eck bunting for a base hit sets the tone for the whole inning.''

However, there was no bunting in the ninth. Fullmer and Salmon simply unloaded on Irabu, who has two blown saves in his past five games.

``That's what makes us a good team,'' Eckstein said. ``We can do the little things, but we've got the guys who can change the game with one swing of the bat.''

Salmon was one of five Angels to have two hits in the game, raising his average to a season-high .270. And seeing the results of Wednesday's game seemed to make him wonder what's in store for this club.

``It was awesome,'' he said. ``Maybe it's one of those things that was meant to be. Like last month, everything was going our way. You just take it while you can.''

The late rally allowed Angels starter Jarrod Washburn to keep his winning streak alive, even though he got a no-decision. Washburn, who has won five decisions in a row, gave up four runs (three earned) and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings but was out-pitched by his former teammate, Valdes.

Washburn gave up a couple of home runs, Alex Rodriguez's American League-leading 20th and Juan Gonzalez's 400th career homer. Both, however, were solo homers.

``It's quick and painless and it's over with,'' Washburn said of the solo homers.

Washburn got solid relief help from Ben Weber (2 1/3 scoreless innings) and Al Levine, who got the victory to improve to 3-1.

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Second baseman Adam Kennedy forces Rangers' Bill Haselman to start seventh-inning double play during Angels' 7-5 10-inning victory.

John Hayes/Associated Press