MINNEAPOLIS _ After he struggled in his last start, Parker Bridwell stood before reporters and calmly said that he simply had to be better in five days.
"And I will be," he added.
True to his word, Bridwell tossed six scoreless innings in the Angels' 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.
Bridwell outpitched Twins ace Ervin Santana, an All-Star, to get the Angels a much-needed victory, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Although Bridwell is just 331/3 innings into his Angels career, he is looking like another one of general manager Billy Eppler's string of diamonds in the rough.
The Angels got Bridwell in an April trade with the Baltimore Orioles for practically nothing: cash considerations or a player to be named. He now has a 3.24 ERA in six big-league games, including five starts. He has won road games against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and the Twins.
He was particularly effective on Wednesday against Twins slugger Miguel Sano, striking him out all three times.
After Bridwell was done, David Hernandez gave up a run in the seventh, to pull the Twins within 2-1. Cam Bedrosian worked a perfect eighth and Bud Norris worked the ninth, returning to the closer role for the first time since coming off the disabled list.
The Angels managed two runs against Santana, who pitched a complete game.
Kole Calhoun hit a solo homer in the first, his second homer in as many games and 12th of the season.
In the sixth, the Angels had runners at the corners with one out after a Cameron Maybin walk and Calhoun's single. Albert Pujols hit a fly ball to shallow right and Maybin didn't stay on the bag to tag up, so he couldn't score after Max Kepler's sliding catch.
The Angels then got the run anyway, executing a perfect double steal. When Twins catcher Jason Castro threw down to try to get Calhoun, Maybin broke for home and beat the return throw.
They missed a chance to add on in the eighth. Martin Maldonado was at third with one out, but Calhoun popped out and Pujols grounded out.
