Howie Kendrick

Angels 9, Texas 6 AT THE PLATE: The Angels rallied for four runs in the sixth inning, which featured Hideki Matsui's double, run-scoring doubles by Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick, and Jeff Mathis' two-run single. Morales and Kendrick also had RBI singles in the fourth, and Maicer Izturis hit a two-run double in the seventh. ON THE MOUND: Closer Brian Fuentes gave up one hit and struck out one in a scoreless fifth inning. The left-hander has allowed one earned run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of seven games this spring.

Dodgers 10, Angels 8 AT THE PLATE: After missing two games because of an illness, the Dodgers' Luis Cruz homered on the third pitch he saw. Alfredo Amezaga was two for two, scoring twice and driving in two runs. He has hits in his last five at-bats. Mark Ellis and Nick Punto also each had two hits for the Dodgers, who have 21 runs and 27 hits in their last two games. For the Angels, Howie Kendrick was three for three with a home run and a double, three runs scored and two RBIs. ON THE MOUND: Clayton Kershaw gave up two earned runs for the second consecutive start, but he also struck out seven in three innings — giving him 10 strikeouts and no walks in five spring innings.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Howie Kendrick, Albert Pujols and Ryan Langerhans each hit home runs, and Torii Hunter had a double, two singles and scored twice to lead the Angels to a 9-2 exhibition victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in Tempe Diablo Stadium. Bobby Abreu, who entered with an .087 average (4 for 46) and was reportedly on the verge of being traded to Cleveland on Thursday night, responded to an off-day tutorial with hitting coach Mickey Hatcher and triple-A hitting coach Jim Eppard with two singles and two runs batted in in three at-bats to improve to .122.

It is Monday night at the Big A, the 10th game of 2011 for the Angels. It is Seinfeld season, where they play games about nothing. Or, as hot-hitting Howie Kendrick says, "There's never been a pennant won in the first two weeks of the season. " The early season is an integral part of the rhythm of the game of baseball. Pitchers have to warm up, and so does the season. Every game counts, but those in September and October count more. That's not mathematics, just sentiment. Before the game, Kendrick is reminded that division rival Texas has started its season 9-1, considerably better than the Angels' 5-4. He shrugs and sniffs.

There are issues in the starting rotation, in the bullpen, on the bench. For the Angels, those are minor issues. These Angels are built to outslug the opposition. If they don't hit, the rest doesn't matter. Those Angels showed up on Tuesday. For the first time this season, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton hit home runs in the same game. BOX SCORE: Angels 6, Kansas City 2 "If those two guys get going, that's a lot of damage that can be done," second baseman Howie Kendrick said.

Reporting from Toronto -- Although fielding mistakes cost the Angels a game Monday, defense has been one of the team's bright spots this season. Only six teams in baseball have made fewer errors than the Angels and no regular American League second baseman has a higher fielding percentage or fewer errors than the Angels' Howie Kendrick . That's quite a change from last season when just four second basemen had fewer errors than Kendrick....

The Dodgers and right-hander Chad Billingsley have avoided a salary arbitration hearing, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year, $6.275-million contract. Billingsley, who was 12-11 with a 3.57 earned-run average last season, was eligible for arbitration for the second time. He was paid $3.85 million last season. The team exchanged salary figures with its two remaining arbitration-eligible players, first baseman James Loney and left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo . Loney asked to be paid $5.25 million for the upcoming season and Kuo requested $3.075 million.

SAN DIEGO — There was a time this season when the Angels had too many outfielders. There was a time this season when the Angels fancied themselves World Series contenders. And then there was Sunday, when the Angels dropped back into last place in the American League West, when the second baseman forced into duty as an emergency left fielder botched the final play of the game. That the Angels lost a series to the bumbling San Diego Padres is bad enough. The Angels also lost Vernon Wells and Ryan Langerhans — probably to the disabled list — leaving them short-staffed in the formerly overloaded outfield.