ANGELS WIN, WHIP A'S FOR THEIR EFFORT ANGELS 10, OAKLAND 4.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

OAKLAND - For nearly two months, the Angels got a much-needed respite from their tormentors in the American League West. No Oakland and no Seattle on the schedule meant winning time in Anaheim, and the Angels responded by clawing their way back into the pennant race.

Wednesday night, however, there was nowhere to hide, no Kansas City or Milwaukee or Tampa Bay on which to feast. Instead, the Angels kicked off an 11-game stretch against their main divisional rivals with a chance to prove that things have changed since an abysmal April.

If the Angels' 10-4 victory over Oakland Athletics is any indication, maybe they have.

After all, this was a game the Angels had no business winning. Injuries robbed them of their catcher, center fielder, closer and two key members of their bullpen. They had lost 15 of 18 to the A's and were facing right- hander Tim Hudson, who came in with a 9-1 record in 11 career starts against them.

But instead of retreating, the Angels responded.

Knocked to the dirt by two Hudson pitches in the first, Garret Anderson dusted himself off and stroked a two-run home run.

Catcher Jorge Fabregas, he of the .206 average, lashed a go-ahead, two-run single off Hudson in the sixth inning.

Starter Kevin Appier (8-7) made just enough big pitches to outlast Hudson and win for the third time in his past five starts.

Slumping shortstop David Eckstein provided the capper, drilling a Mike Venafro pitch for a three-run homer well up the steps in left field in the top of the eighth, breaking open a 5-3 game and taking the pressure off a bullpen that could use some time to sort itself out.

The Angels (55-38) moved into sole possession of second place and stayed within three games of Seattle. Perhaps most important, they took the first step toward shedding the perception that they merely are bottom feeders.

The Angels came into the game with a 3-11 record against Seattle and Oakland and 51-27 against everyone else. After April 24, when the Angels temporarily bid adieu to the big two, they went 47-24, sparking hopes they could break the monopoly the Mariners and A's have had on the AL West and AL wild card the past two seasons.

For several innings Wednesday, it looked like business as usual.

A two-run home run by Miguel Tejada and a solo homer by Jermaine Dye negated Anderson's two-run shot and gave the A's a 3-2 lead after four innings. Meanwhile, Fabregas grounded out to leave the bases loaded in the fourth, Tim Salmon hit into a double play with runners at the corners in the fifth and and Appier struggled to find a rhythm, walking four batters in the first four innings.

But the game turned on one at-bat in the fifth, after Anderson doubled and Troy Glaus struck out.

Brad Fullmer - the Montclair Prep of Van Nuys alum and only Angels starter without a hit - fouled off four full-count pitches from Hudson before drawing a walk. After that, Hudson, who came in with a 3.27 ERA, looked hittable.

Scott Spiezio hit a line drive that A's second baseman Mark Ellis nearly gloved. But it got over his head and into the right-center-field gap, scoring Anderson with the tying run and sending Fullmer to third.

Up came Fabregas, who will assume a more prominent role after starting catcher Bengie Molina was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a hamstring tear. Fabregas came through with a two-run single up the middle for a 5-3 lead.

Given new life, Appier got two quick outs in the sixth. But a Ramon Hernandez single and a double by Ellis moved the tying run into scoring position, prompting a visit from pitching coach Bud Black.