Rangers Defeat Angels 5-2 After Nelson Cruz Suspension Handed Down

The Texas Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 last night in Anaheim for their 7^th win in the last 8 games.

Adrian Beltre homered and Martin Perez threw 6 1/3 innings giving up just two runs in the win for Texas who are now just 2 games back from Oakland in the American League West standings.

The Angels got the scoring started taking a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning with a double by Mark Trumbo which scored Mike Trout. The Angels wouldn't score again until the 7th inning when Erick Eybar scored on a ground out by Colling Cowgill.

The Rangers were held scoreless until the 5th inning when Jurickson Profar scored on a wild pitch and Elvis Andrus drove in two runs on a triple to take a 3-1 lead. Beltre would drive in a two-run homer to give Texas a 5-1 lead, a lead they would not relinquish.

The Rangers and Angels play again tonight in Anaheim. Yu Darvish takes the hill for Texas opposite Angels starter Garrett Richards. Coverage starts tonight at 8:30 on FOX Sports Southwest.

The Rangers played without Outfielder Nelson Cruz who was suspended on Monday by Major League Baseball. The 50-game suspension for Cruz was for his ties with the BioGenesis lab where he was given and used Performance Enhancing Drugs.

12 other players were given 50-game suspensions. Cruz apologized to his teammates for using.