Q COMES THROUGH IN PINCH QUINLAN'S TWO-RUN PINCH-HIT HOMER WINS IT IN THE 13TH ANGELS 6, ARIZONA 4 (13).

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

PHOENIX -- Tired of watching a game that was going nowhere, Robb Quinlan came off the bench late Saturday night and won one for the Angels.

Quinlan connected on the first pinch-hit home run of his career, a two-run shot in the 13th inning, to give the Angels a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Angels are on a modest three-game winning streak but still remain in last place in the American League West.

``We were going to have an opportunity to see how some of our pitchers could hit if we went any further,'' said manager Mike Scioscia, who was down to just one position player, Jose Molina, left on the bench when the game ended. ``It was a big hit by Q. Our guys coming off the bench did a good job today.''

Quinlan, who was batting for reliever Brendan Donnelly, made a winner out of the right-hander. Donnelly earned his first victory of the season. The home run, on a 1-2pitch, came off Diamondbacks reliever Brandon Medders (1-2).

``It's tough to sit around the whole game, and then I got down in the count,'' Quinlan said. ``I just happened to put something in play there with two strikes He just hung a curveball. Obviously, that's not where he wanted to throw it. Luckily it was just enough to get out.''

Francisco Rodriguez finished off the marathon with a perfect 13thinning for his 18th save.

The Angels trailed 4-0 in the seventh inning before they mustered a tying rally. The four runs prevented Bartolo Colon from losing his second consecutive game since coming off the disabled list.

Colon, who spent two months on the DL with a sore right shoulder, was far from being in Cy Young form. He gave up four runs on ninehits in 5 2/3 innings.

On the past homestand, Colon said he was coming back to the rotation to compete and win. But in two starts since rejoining the team, the right-hander has only a a loss and a no-decision to show for it.

Colon allowed one walk with four strikeouts while throwing 90 pitches against the Diamondbacks. In his return last Sunday against the San Diego Padres, the right-hander gave up four runs (two earned) on nine hits in seven innings while throwing 101 pitches.

``I don't think anyone wants to see Bart throw 115 pitches right now, but he's ready to pitch as deep as he did last time,'' Scioscia said before the game.

Time will tell if and when Colon can revive his game.

``We haven't seen him much this year,'' Scioscia said. ``In the spring, at times, the ball was coming out of his hand very well, and at times he struggled a little bit. Last year was just an incredible year for consistency from first start to last start. He gave us a chance to win and was the best pitcher in our league, we felt, hands down.''

While the Angels were defeated 7-3 by the San Diego Padres in Colon's previous start, he was bailed out Saturday shortly after leaving the game.

The Angels finally broke through in the seventh against Diamondbacks starter Claudio Vargas. Maicer Izturis hit a one-out single and Adam Kennedy reached base when Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson bobbled his ground ball.

Juan Rivera, who was pinch hitting for reliever J.C. Romero, couldn't get out of the way of a fastball from Vargas and was hit under the chin. Rivera had to leave the game and was replaced by pinch runner Erick Aybar, but Rivera is expected to be available today.

With the bases loaded, Chone Figgins rolled a single into right field for two runs. Orlando Cabrera followed with a double to left field for two more runs to get the Angels even at 4-4.

Cabrera had extended his on-base streak to 52 games when he singled in the first inning. Mike Napoli's streak came to an end, though, when he struck out in the first inning. Napoli had reached base in 11 consecutive at-bats and was one away from Bobby Grich's team record when he went down swinging.

Napoli appeared to have tied the streak when a 3-0 pitch from Vargas was low, but home-plate umpire Mike Everitt called it a strike and he ultimately struck out.

After putting two Diamondbacks on base in the first inning, Colon managed to escape trouble. In the second inning, though, Orlando Hudson hit a towering two-run home run to center field, his fourth of the season.

After Colon hit Chad Tracy with a pitch in the fourth inning, Johnny Estrada hit an RBI double to give the Diamondbacks a 3-0 lead. The home-run ball got to Colon again in the fifth inning,when Craig Counsell led off with a solo shot, his second.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) The Angels' Chone Figgens, left, scores on a double by Orlando Cabrera in the seventh inning Saturday.

Roy Dabner/Associated Press

(2) ESCOBAR

Box:

ANGELS at ARIZONA

- Doug Padilla