Angels have nothing to show for it again

The Angels hitting coach had watched his team, the No. 2 offensive team in the American League, get shut out in consecutive games for the first time in four seasons. The Angels put more runners on base with walks (six) than hits (four), wasting two of the pitching staff's best performances this season. And in Saturday's 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay, they cost left-hander Joe Saunders a chance at his seventh straight win.

All of which left Hatcher at a loss both for words and solutions.

"We'll think of things to do," he offered after the Rays' Scott Kazmir and three relievers extended the Angels' losing streak to a season-worst three games.

Then he thought of one: Rather than offering his players consolation, advice or even a kick in the rear, he issued a challenge instead.

"We need to turn some things around. And the only answer is in that room," Hatcher said, nodding to the Angels' clubhouse. "We've got to see what our players do. We're going to see how good we really are."

Based on what the Angels have done lately, the answer is "not very."

* In the two losses to Tampa Bay the Angels' most promising rally consisted of three walks in the eighth inning Saturday.

* The Angels have scored in only two of their last 26 innings.

* In the last 12 games, they've hit .217 and averaged 3.5 runs a game. In the 12 games before that, they hit .270 and averaged nearly five runs.

* And with top-of-the-order hitters Chone Figgins and Howie Kendrick out indefinitely with hamstring strains, the lineup the Angels started Saturday had just one .300 hitter, and three hitting below .191.

Even fate has turned against the Angels. In the sixth inning, Torii Hunter lined a shot down the right-field line that missed being a two-run homer by inches, then grounded into a double play two pitches later. Hunter, who has only three hits in 16 at-bats (.188) on a six-game trip that ends today, also popped up with the bases loaded in the eighth inning when a fly ball would have tied the score.

But he's not the only one struggling. Gary Matthews' fifth-inning double ended a four-for-45 skid dating to April 25 and infielders Brandon Wood and Sean Rodriguez are a combined five for 31 on the trip.