Chris Capuano hurls seven solid frames, Dodgers cool hot Halos

Anaheim, CA, United States (4E Sports) – Chris Capuano boosted a bid for an All-Star game berth with seven effective innings and Dee Gordon provided the offensive spark as the Dodgers topped the Angels 3-1 Saturday night in the second test of their three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium..

The interleague win snapped the Dodgers’ four-game skid.

Capuano (9-2), signed last winter to be the Dodgers’ fifth starter, limited the Angels to one run on seven hits in seven innings of work as he outdueled Ervin Santana.

Capuano, who did not factor in the decision in his last time out despite a gritty effort as the Dodgers edged the White Sox Sunday 2-1, also struck out four and walked none while lowering his ERA from 2.71 to 2.51.

Dee Gordon, regarded as one of baseball’s fastest runners, ignited the Dodgers offensive. He went 2-for-4 with a triple, a stolen base and two runs.

The speedy Dodger shortstop opened the game with a single to right and stole second on a pitchout, advancing on grounder wide of first base by Jerry Hairston, Jr.

Angels slugger Albert Pujols made a high-risk throw as he tried to go for the lead runner instead of the sure out, but the gambit failed as his low throw hit Gordon in the back and caromed into foul ground.

Gordon scored and Hairston took second on the throwing error by Pujols, one of two throwing miscues by the Angels’ infield that allowed the Dodgers to take a 2-0 lead in the first.

Gordon, who entered Saturday’s tilt with batting average of .220, gave back a two-run advantage to the Dodgers as he opened the sixth with a triple and scored on Hairston’s infield hit.

Ronald Belisario, who relieved Capuano in the eighth, threw a scoreless eighth before handing it to Kenley Jansen, who set down the side in order in the ninth to collect his 12th save.

Santana (4-8) took the loss as his team’s early miscues proved costly. The Angels starting right-handed pitcher, who was coming off a one-hit shutout against Arizona last Saturday, struck out 10 over eight frames but allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits.

The Angels, who were seeking their fourth straight win, got on board in the fifth, when Howie Kendrick scored the team’s lone run on an Erick Aybar infield single. Kendrick doubled to left leading off the inning.

The NL West-leading Dodgers now have a chance to split the six-game Interleague season series with the Angels Sunday.

---

---