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Y E S T E R D A Y…

Angels 11, Rangers 10: With the powerful Rangers lineup receiving a mouthful of attention around the Majors, it was actually their starting pitching that’s shut the Halos up for two straight games. On Thursday, the Angels connected for 11 runs on 12 hits, proving that their first place bats have some viability, too. But against John Lackey, who lacked command all game, Texas was also game for a slugfest. After Los Angeles jumped out to an early 10-4 lead, the Rangers muscled their way back and eventually tied it in the seventh on a two-run homer by Max Ramirez. Four innings later, Maicer Izturis provided the game winner in extras with an RBI single. K-Rod shook off last night’s blown save and an inexplicable error in bottom of the eleventh for his 36th save.

Marlins 5, Dodgers 4: Following the Angels’ four hour/11-inning affair in Arlington, the Dodgers took the Marlins to extras at the Ravine. Unfortunately, when Hanley Ramirez recorded his career-high fifth hit, it was a game winning solo home run. On the Blue side, Russell Martin tied the game twice before Ramirez’s blast: Once on a single in the third and again with a solo shot in the sixth. After starter Chan Ho Park was removed from the game in the fourth, the Dodgers bullpen, led by Hong-Chih Kuo, scattered four hits over seven solid innings.                    

Monarchs 87, Sparks 69: One night after Candace Parker lit up the Comets for 40, she came back down to earth, notching “just” 14 points, 11 boards and six assists. Sacramento, however, outscored LA by 18 in the third quarter and never looked back, routing the Sparks in their second trip to Arco Arena this season. Guard Sidney Spencer added 14 points for the Sparks, while Monarch forward Nicole Powell led all scorers with 24.

Chivas 1, Galaxy 1: What does everyone love about soccer? That’s right. Ties! After Chivas took an early lead on an Ante Razov left-footed goal, the Galaxy’s Edson Buddle snuck one between goalie Brad Guzan’s legs in the 72nd minute, tying the contest at one. Despite Chivas All-Star Sacha Kljestan’s nullified goal in the 78th minute and header off the post four minutes later, the deadlock never broke and neither did the teams’ first place tie atop the West.

T O D A Y…

Angels at Athletics (6:05 p.m. PST FSN): Despite recently trading frontline starter Rich Harden to the Cubs, Oakland claims they are not giving up on 2008. As the A’s sit five games behind the first place Angels, it’s easy to believe it. Newly acquired starter Sean Gallagher takes on Jon Garland in the opener of an AL West series that could shape the race down the stretch. So far, the A’s have been carried by pitching, ranking first in the American League in team ERA and batting average against. Garland, who’s 8-5 with a 3.76 ERA lost to Oakland on June 30. The difference between the two clubs hinges on how the Angels pitching staff performs. In their 10 meetings this season, the Angels held Oakland to fewer than six runs six times.

Marlins at Dodgers (7:40 p.m. PST KCAL): In a battle of prospects, Chris Volstad takes on the Dodgers’ Eric Stults. In four starts, Stults has shown flashes, including a complete game shutout versus the White Sox on June 25. Volstad, a vaunted prospect recalled from AA last Friday, is making his debut as a starter. Despite yesterday’s loss, the Dodgers are 7-3 in their last 10 and sit 1.5 games behind Arizona for the NL West lead.

N E W S W O R T H Y…

* The Ducks signed former Florida Panthers defenseman Steve Montador to a one-year contract.
* Ducks GM Brian Burke was also busy defending the Anaheim faithful after Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe referred to their city as a “pathetic hockey market.” Hey Lowe, how many titles have the Oilers won since they lost Gretzky?
* The Clippers officially announced Baron Davis’ arrival, and renounced their rights to Shaun Livingston and four other players. While the move makes the recuperating, former lottery pick an unrestricted free agent, the team claims they will still attempt to resign him.
* The Dodgers signed 15th overall draft pick Ethan Martin. The deal for the 19-year-old righty from Stephens County High School in Georgia included a $1.7 million signing bonus.
* Relegated to the bench, Angels outfielder Gary Matthews is unhappy, but says his numbers should be better than they are.
* Galaxy teammates David Beckham and Landon Donovan were the top vote-getters for the MLS All-Star game, which will be played July 24. Donovan led in aggregate votes, a combination of fans, media, players and coaches/general managers, while Beckham was the most popular among the fans. In other surprising news, traffic on 101 and Highland is at a standstill, summer is hot and Michael Vick is bankrupt.
C O L U M N S…

Steve Dilbeck of the LA Daily News says he cannot call Elton Brand a liar or a traitor. If anything, he blames agent David Falk, but Brand, who worked hard, never complained and gave the Clippers an identity outside of laughingstock, earned the benefit of the doubt.

According to Mark Whicker from the OC Register, the Baron Davis era is beginning with a bit of a Brand name feel.

Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports and the Kansas City Star hammers the miscast NBC Sunday Night Football show, panning everyone from Costas to new addition Dan Patrick. Unfortunately, he left that pregame song “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” off the list. Seriously, I’d rather sit next to a screaming baby on a six-hour flight with no iPod than hear one note from that awful song.

SportsHubLA Column of the Day: The LA Times’ Bill Plaschke writes that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is not so sure about his Blue Crew nowadays, insisting that changes could be on the horizon. Plain and simple: GM Ned Colletti might be out of a job and I can’t say that’s a terrible thing. The Dodgers have dug themselves a financial hole by shoveling too much money at the wrong people (Jason Schmidt, Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, et al). The primary culprit, fair or not, is Colletti. In Plaschke’s piece he not only addresses the GM’s potential exit, but also McCourt’s assessment of Joe Torre, the team’s youngsters and the financial state of the west coast’s most prolific baseball franchise.

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