Offensive Angels aim to move closer to Rangers

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The Angels have a chance to shave another game off the Texas Rangers’ lead in the American League West on Sunday when they send ace Jered Weaver to the mound in Arlington, Texas.

Pitching, however, is no longer the Angels’ strong suit. During a recent hot spell that has seen them win seven of eight games the Angels have been producing out of the batter’s box too, homering in 17 of their last 18 contests -- including five home runs Saturday. In their last seven games, the Angels have batted .339, averaged 7 1/2 runs a game, collected at least 10 hits in each game and are batting .414 with runners in scoring position.

‘It feels good,’ Manager Mike Scioscia said. ‘You have to be able to pressure teams every inning. You’re only able to do that when your offense gets deep. In the last probably two weeks we’ve gotten deeper. Where at times we were trying to fill nine spots with maybe four guys swinging the bats well, now we’ve got probably 10 or 11 people on the offensive side, guys that we can get into the lineup.

‘And that’s a good feeling.’

The Angels entered Sunday trailing Texas by two games with 30 games to play.

The lineups:

Angels

CF -- Peter Bourjos

2B -- Howie Kendrick

DH -- Bobby Abreu

RF -- Torii Hunter

1B -- Mark Trumbo

LF -- Vernon Wells

3B -- Alberto Callaspo

SS -- Erick Aybar

C -- Jeff Mathis

P -- Jered Weaver

Texas Rangers

2B -- Ian Kinsler

SS -- Elvis Andrus

CF -- Josh Hamilton

3B -- Michael Young

RF -- Nelson Young

DH -- Mike Napoli

1B -- Mitch Moreland

C -- Yorvit Torrealba

LF -- David Murphy

P -- Colby Lewis

MORE:

Gamble pays off against the Rangers

A little too close a call for Peter Bourjos

Angels to pitch Jered Weaver on three days’ rest

-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Arlington, Texas