Flores' single gives Nationals win in ninth
WASHINGTON -- Jesus Flores lined an RBI single to right-center with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Washington Nationals a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday.
The Nationals snapped a four-game losing streak and ended the Angels' five-game winning streak.
The injury-riddled Nationals, who have seven players on the disabled list, had lost seven of eight and blew a two-run lead late against the Angels.
But Elijah Dukes began the ninth with a single to center off Scot Shields (3-2) and moved to second when Lastings Milledge grounded to third. Flores, who had been 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, then lined a shot that scored Dukes easily.
Closer Jon Rauch (4-1) threw 1 2-3 scoreless innings and got the victory. He retired all five batters he faced.
Milledge gave Washington a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first. That hit ended the center fielder's 0-for-14 skid. He finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Gary Matthews Jr. cut the Nationals' lead in half with an RBI double off Washington starter Tim Redding in the second.
Casey Kotchman tied it in third with an RBI single -- the team's fourth straight hit. Howie Kendrick then followed with a fly ball to right, but Dukes ended the inning by easily throwing out Garret Anderson at home.
The Nationals took a 4-2 lead in the sixth when Ronnie Belliard drew a bases-loaded walk off starter Ervin Santana, and Wily Mo Pena followed with an RBI single. But the Angels tied it in the eighth on Kotchman's RBI double and Kendrick's sacrifice fly.
Notes:@ Redding has seven consecutive no-decisions Aaron Boone's infield single for Washington in the eighth inning was his 1,000th career hit RHP Kelvim Escobar, who's missed the entire season with a torn labrum, threw two innings on Wednesday in the Arizona Summer League. ... Angels SS Maicer Izturis missed his fourth game with a strained hamstring.
