WINNING STREAK COMES TO END WITH BASES LOADED, ANDERSON GROUNDS INTO A GAME-ENDING DOUBLE PLAY BALTIMORE 7, ANGELS 6.

Byline: BEN VILLA Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- It appeared that the Angels were all set to have a great Memorial Day weekend, but late in Sunday's game, the Baltimore Orioles ruined their barbecue.

The Orioles scored fourruns in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead for good, Garret Anderson grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the Angels lost 7-6 in front of 40,856 at Angel Stadium.

The loss snapped the Angels' season-high four game winning streak.

``It's uncharacteristic for us to lose a lead late in a game, but all we can do is start another winning streak tomorrow,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``You have to credit the Orioles. They got the hits they needed in the seventh inning, but we did a good job of battling back.

``And you're not going to see another ball hit harder than the one Garret hit in the ninth inning. He squared it up, and if the ball were hit fivemore feet to the left or the right, we would have won. It's a shame he had nothing to show for it.''

The Angels begin a three-game series at home with the Minnesota Twins today.

It looked as if the Angels were going to sweep the Orioles and win their fifth straight with starter Kelvim Escobar cruising until the top of the seventh inning.

Escobar had retired 10 batters in a row when Corey Patterson led off the inning with a bunt single Escobar couldn't field cleanly.

Patterson went to third base on a check-swing single by Kevin Millar, and Nick Markakis then drove in Patterson on a fielder's choice to cut the Angels' lead to 4-3.

Brian Roberts singled off Escobar to send runners to second and third, ending Escobar's outing.

Scioscia summoned Scot Shields from the bullpen, but not even the usually reliable right-hander could get the job done. Shields allowed a bloop RBI double to Melvin Mora that tied the score, and Miguel Tejada followed with a two-run single that gave the Orioles a 6-4 lead.

``I felt good in the seventh inning,'' Escobar said. ``I wasn't tired, but when you give up check-swing base hits and bloopers, there's nothing you can do. I gave up eighthits, and I don't think one ball was hit hard.

``This was a tough loss, but we just got to get ready for the next one.''

The Orioles scored another run in the top of the eighth to increase their lead to 7-4, but the Angels fought back in their half of the inning.

Vladimir Guerrero and Anderson led off with singles, and Kendry Morales singled to drive in Guerrero, cutting the Orioles' lead to 7-5.

With runners on first and second and nobody out, Orioles reliever Chris Ray got Tim Salmon to pop up and Dallas McPherson to ground into a double play to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Angels closed the gap to one when pinch-hitter Erick Aybar led off with a triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Adam Kennedy (Cal State Northridge).

Ray then walked Chone Figgis and Orlando Cabrera singled, bringing Guerrero to the plate. Ray walked Guerrero on four straight pitches, setting the stage for Anderson.

He swung at the first pitch and hit a bullet, but it was right at Orioles second baseman Roberts, who started the double play to end the game.

``He was throwing nothing but fastballs, and that's what I was looking for,'' Anderson said.

``There was a good chance I was going to get one, and I did. I got the pitch I wanted. It was right down the middle and I grounded into a double play. Things didn't work out for us today.''

[e-mail]

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Erick Aybar beats the throw to third on a leadoff triple in the ninth inning. He later scored to get the Angels within a run.

Ric Francis/Associated Press