ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Angels thumped Derek Holland for five runs and held on to salvage the final game of the series against the Rangers with a 5-4 win Wednesday night at Globe Life Park. The Rangers' magic number remains at two over the Astros, who won earlier in the day in Oakland. The Rangers travel to Oakland Thursday and begin their final three-game road trip Friday against the A's.
Holland was charged with five runs (four earned) on six hits and a two walks in five innings. The big blast was a three-run homer in the fifth by Mike Trout that gave the Angels a 5-1 lead. Jose Leclerc started the sixth but left after a leadoff double and a walk with one out. Tanner Scheppers came in and walked Carlos Perez to load the bases before striking out pinch-hitter Cliff Pennington and getting Yunel Escobar to ground out. Scheppers walked one and struck out one in 21/3 scoreless innings. Alex Claudio replaced Scheppers to face Rafael Ortego and got a groundout to end the inning. Matt Bush pitched a scoreless ninth.
Jurickson Profar tripled to start the third and scored on Nomar Mazara's single to cut the Angels' lead to 2-1. The Rangers scored three times in the fifth. Elvis Andrus started it with a walk and scored on Mazara's single through the right side. Carlos Beltran followed with a two-run homer to pull the Rangers to within 5-4. In the eighth, Beltran reached on an infield single with one out and pinch-runner Delino DeShields was at second after Beltre's groundout but Rougned Odor popped out to end the inning. Andrus doubled with two outs in the ninth and Profar, representing the winning run, was hit by a pitch, but Carlos Gomez grounded out to third base to end the game.
