Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Jeff Mathis' sacrifice fly in the 16th inning won it, as the Los Angeles Angels outlasted the Cleveland Indians, 4-3, in one of the longest games in the majors this season.
Indians, Angels Take It To The 12th Inning, Tied 3-3
Torii Hunter went 2-for-5 with two walks and scored the game-winning run for the Angels, who snapped a five-game home losing streak and avoided the sweep. Mike Napoli and Jason Bourjos both homered in the victory.
“We battled. Even if we would have lost, we had to fight tonight,” Hunter said. “I’m so happy and I’m so tired. We had some blunders, but we came through with the win.”
Matt Palmer (1-1) earned the win for three shutout innings. Scott Kazmir started and gave up one run, two hits and three walks while fanning six in six strong frames.
Andy Marte homered for the Indians, who were seeking their first series sweep in Anaheim since 1999. Trevor Crowe went 3-for-6, while Michael Brantley, Jordan Brown, Luis Valbuena and Jason Donald each had two hits in defeat.
“We pitched very good tonight,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “We just couldn’t come up with the big hit. I’m happy with the way the team played.”
Hector Ambriz (0-2) was the loser after giving up the game-winning run in 3 1/3 innings of relief work. Josh Tomlin allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in six innings in the start.
Hunter led off the bottom of the 16th with a double to the left-centerfield gap, and Alberto Callaspo’s slow roller up the first-base line sent Hunter to third.
Mathis followed with a deep fly ball to right-center, and Shin-Soo Choo didn't even try throwing home as Hunter scored the game-winning run.
Both starting pitchers dominated early, as each team went without a hit for the first four innings.
Cleveland, however, broke the dual no-hitter and the scoreless tie in the fifth when Donald doubled down the left-field line and scored on Crowe’s soft single to center.
The Angels’ offense got going in the home half, as Napoli got the team’s first base hit with a two-run homer to left to put Los Angeles ahead. Hunter had led off the frame with a walk.
Bourjos made Los Angeles’ second hit a home run -- a leadoff shot in the sixth, but the Indians’ answered with Marte’s two-out blast in the seventh for a 3-2 contest.
Fernando Rodney came on to save the game in the ninth, but allowed a leadoff single to Matt LaPorta in the ninth. Donald reached with one away when his chopper off the plate was too high for Napoli to record an out.
Jayson Nix followed with a bloop base hit to shallow left, scoring pinch- runner Valbuena with the tying run.
The Angels put runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom half, but Callaspo was thrown out at home trying to score on a wild pitch.
Juan Rivera nearly ended the game in the home 10th, but Brantley leaped above the centerfield fence to rob Rivera of a homer. The Indians had two baserunners in both the 10th and 11th, but couldn't push across the go-ahead run.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the 11th, but Mathis popped out on a bunt attempt, and Erick Aybar struck out.
The season series is tied, 3-3...The Angels haven’t lost six straight at home since 2002...Indians outfielder Brantley extended his hit streak to 10 games, a career-best...This is the Indians’ longest game since July 30, 1998, when Cleveland beat Seattle at the Kingdome in 17 frames..Time of game: 4:57.
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