ANGELS SURVIVE SCARE DEFENSE SAVES IT TO GIVE L.A. TWO-GAME SWEEP IN K.C. ANGELS 3, KANSAS CITY 0.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- If victories over the Kansas City Royals are this tough, what will it be like against the Oakland Athletics this weekend?

The Angels won their second consecutive game over the Royals, this one 3-0 to complete a brief two-game sweep, but they had scares in the ninth inning of both victories. Frankie Rodriguez loaded the bases on consecutive nights but didn't allow a run.

Had it not been for the kind of defense the Angels thought they would have all season, they would have been looking at a defeat that likely would have closed their small window of opportunity.

Despite Wednesday's victory, the Angels remained 6 1/2 games behind the A's, after Oakland defeated the Cleveland Indians 4-3.

After today's last off day of the season, the Angels open a three-game series at Oakland, home of the division leader. It is the beginning of a stretch where the Angels will play seven of their last 10 games against the A's.

``If you think about it, there is nothing left to do but win every day,'' said Orlando Cabrera, who made a tough play to his backhand side in the fifth inning. ``You don't have to go to the park and think about whether (the A's) are going to win or lose. That's too much distraction.''

Cabrera drove in all three runs for the Angels, the first on a sacrifice fly in the third inning and the other twoon a two-out double in the ninth.

Aside from Cabrera's play on defense, the Angels received highlight plays from Garret Anderson on a shallow fly ball in the first inning, Robb Quinlan on a diving stop in the sixth and a sliding catch from Chone Figgins in right-center field.

With the Angels clinging to a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning, Emil Brown drove a ball to right-center off reliever Scot Shields. Figgins sprinted into the gap and made the catch as he slid onto the warning track.

``When the ball was hit, it looked like it had the gap,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Figgy really closed on the ball well. That's one of the best plays we've seen him make in center field just for the fact that you really saw his speed play out there.''

Angels starter Kelvim Escobar overcame tendinitis in his left knee to shut down the Royals. He gave up just four hits in seven innings with a walk and five strikeouts.

``I give the credit to my defense, they played beautiful,'' Escobar said.

``I guess when you set the tone by pitching quickly and throwing strikes, you're going to keep your defense on (their toes), and they're going to be able to make good plays for you.''

After loading the bases with two outs in Tuesday's victory, Rodriguez found himself in a similar jam Wednesday with one out.

But Jeff Keppinger fouled out to first base, and Joey Gathright struck out.

Rodriguez earned his 44th save, moving him two behind Bryan Harvey's franchise record set in 1991.

``I think he's been so locked in for so long that every pitcher is going to go through some rough edges here and there,'' Scioscia said.

``Still he has the ability when he's not as locked in as he's been to get it done and get the save.''

The road trip hasn't been easy for Rodriguez, who blew a save Friday at Texas to snap his save streak at 17 consecutive and his scoreless streak at 30 2/3 innings. It's not the form that the Angels would like to see out of their closer heading into a do-or-die series.

``Every victory is good, and we need to keep winning, that's the bottom line,'' Scioscia said. ``There is no sense in worrying about where we're playing or who we're playing. We need to win. That's the point of the season where are right now.''

[e-mail]

[phone], Ext. 2731

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

The Angels' Garret Anderson, left, and Chone Figgins are all smiles after scoring on Orlando Cabrera's double.

Ed Zurga/Associated Press