FALLEN ANGELS IN 2ND; RANGERS WINNERS AGAIN, GRAB LEAD IN AL WEST : TEXAS 7 ANGELS 6.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

The Angels probably could live with getting beaten by Juan Gonzalez and Rick Helling. Getting beaten by Tom Goodwin and Tim Crabtree is another matter.

But that's exactly what happened Thursday night, as the Texas Rangers completed a two-game sweep of the Angels with a 7-6 win before 45,928 at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Goodwin's RBI double in the eighth inning broke a 6-6 tie and Crabtree's four hitless innings of relief keyed the victory, which moved the Rangers into first place in the AL West by one game, their first division lead since a half-game advantage on Aug. 13.

The flip-flop in the standings was made possible because the Angels lost six of seven on the road trip to Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Texas, while the Rangers were winning four of seven. The Angels lost three games in the standings on the trip, having started out two games up.

``We had a terrible road trip,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``You can't just look at the Texas series. We got beat three times in Baltimore and we got waxed once in Tampa. We've got to take a deep breath, go home to our ballpark and play well. If we win five of six at home, we'll be in first place.''

Now, the Angels are forced to play catch-up. The final 10 games will show everybody exactly what the Angels are made of.

``I thought we already did that,'' Angels center fielder Jim Edmonds said, referring to the Angels' successful East Coast trip in August. ``Now, we're struggling. The game goes in streaks. We've got 10 games left. We've got to win two more than they do. If we can't do it, we're not good enough.''

The Angels could not have asked for a better start, jumping on 19-game winner Helling for four runs and five hits in the first inning. The Angels sent nine men to the plate in the inning and only two made out. The other out came when Edmonds was thrown out by Ivan Rodriguez trying to steal. But the lead lasted only until the Rangers knocked around Angels starter Steve Sparks for four runs and five hits in the bottom of the inning.

Neither pitcher made it out of the second inning. Helling was removed after allowing a two-run homer to Edmonds. Sparks left after giving up a double to Gonzalez. The Angels, though, got out of the second with a 6-4 lead and held it until solo homers off Shigetoshi Hasegawa by Todd Zeile (in the third inning) and Gonzalez (in the fourth) tied the game at 6.

After the two teams had combined for 12 runs and 20 hits through four innings, a couple of relievers took over. Crabtree (6-1) pitched four hitless innings, allowing only one walk while striking out four.

The Angels' Pep Harris (3-1) pitched three hitless innings before giving up a leadoff single to ex-Angel Lee Stevens to begin the eighth. After Zeile sacrificed pinch-runner Milt Cuyler to second, Harris was replaced by Rich DeLucia. DeLucia hit Royce Clayton with a pitch and Goodwin followed with a double to right-center that scored Cuyler with what turned out to be the game-winner.

John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his 41st save.

The Angels say there's no reason to believe they can't come back.

``It's the way our whole season's gone,'' Angels catcher Phil Nevin said. ``We have a way of bouncing back.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Color) Angels starting pitcher Steve Sparks wipes his brow while waiting to be yanked.

(2) Will Clark of the Rangers beats the tag of Angels catcher Phil Nevin and scores in the first inning on a double by Ivan Rodriguez.

LM Otero/Associated Press

Box: DOWN TO THE WIRE