COLON LOOKS GOOD AT 20 MILESTONE REACHED IN VICTORY ANGELS 2, TEXAS 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Bartolo Colon has legs as thick as tree trunks, which are needed to carry his considerable frame. But they also provide the power for a 97-mph fastball, which, when mixed in with his other pitches, makes him one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Colon put the Angels on his back and carried them to victory for the 20th time this season Tuesday night, the Angels holding off the Texas Rangers, 2-1, in front of 36,170 at Angel Stadium.

Colon (20-7) became the sixth Angels pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in a season, the first since Nolan Ryan went 22-16 in 1974. Colon gave up only one unearned run in seven innings, coming out after 85 pitches because his back stiffened up.

Colon grew up in the Dominican Republic, but was well aware of Ryan.

``In 1974 I was 1 year old, but me and my dad were always talking about Nolan Ryan growing up,'' Colon said through an interpreter. ``He's my favorite pitcher of all-time.''

The game was closer than the Angels might have liked, but three errors in the span of two innings by third baseman Maicer Izturis made it a close one, particularly in the eighth inning when Kelvim Escobar was in for Colon.

With one on and one out, Izturis couldn't handle Gerald Laird's grounder and the Rangers suddenly had runners on second and third with one out and the top of the order due up. But Escobar got David Dellucci on a comebacker for the second out. Then Michael Young, the league's leading hitter, hit a line drive that Izturis caught at his shoetop to end the inning.

After the game, Colon whispered in Izturis' ear in the clubhouse.

``Bart got mad at the fans because they booed me,'' Izturis said. ``He said they don't see all the plays I've made before, only the bad ones. He said don't worry about it.''

In the ninth, Francisco Rodriguez walked Mark Teixeira to begin the inning, and was one pitch away from walking Hank Blalock. But Rodriguez struck out Blalock on a 78-mph slider.

After Alfonso Soriano flied out, Kevin Mench singled. But Rodriguez struck out Adrian Gonzalez to end it and record his 39th save.

Aside from Izturis, Colon did get help from his defense, which turned three double plays, none of which were easy.

In the second inning, Colon struck out Gonzalez and catcher Bengie Molina threw out Mench trying to steal, ending the inning.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera started a 6-4-3 double play with a backhand grab of Laird's hard one-hopper in the sixth, and in the seventh second baseman Adam Kennedy made a tough pivot on a 5-4-3 double play that thwarted a potential big Rangers rally, which got started after Izturis' first error.

With Young on third, Colon appeared he'd get out of it when Soriano hit a routine grounder to third. But Izturis made his second error of the inning, booting the ball and allowing Young to score the Rangers' only run of the game.

Ryan (twice), Clyde Wright, Bill Singer, Andy Messersmith and Dean Chance are the only other Angels pitchers to win 20 games in a season. Wright won 22 in 1970 to set the club record, only to be matched by Ryan in 1974.

Wright, whose son Jaret pitches for the Yankees, works for the Angels in the club's speakers' bureau in the communications department.

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 7 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Bartolo Colon becomes the first Angels pitcher to win 20 games in a season since Nolan Ryan in 1974.

(2) Texas starting pitcher Juan Dominguez walks back to the mound after giving up a solo home run in the second inning to the Angels' Juan Rivera.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

Box:

(1) TEXAS AT ANGELS

- Joe Haakenson

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC 

(5) AL WILD CARD

(6) AL WEST

(7) NL WILD CARD