Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre signals strike three and three outs in the 7th inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. PICTURE: TODAY Sports


Agencies/Anaheim (California)


The Texas Rangers scored nine runs in the first four innings and cruised to a 14-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium.
Catcher JP Arencibia and center fielder Michael Choice each homered for the Rangers, Choice’s three-run blast in the fourth inning giving Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish more than enough cushion to work with. Darvish gave up solo home runs to shortstop Erick Aybar and designated hitter Albert Pujols in the first inning, then settled in and stifled the Angels’ bats after that.
Darvish (2-1) gave up three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out nine in 6 1/3 innings. He also hit a batter, plunking Pujols with a 91 mph fastball that glanced off the slugger’s helmet in the fifth inning. Pujols lay still for a few moments before getting up and taking first base. He remained in the game and lined out to shortstop in his next at-bat.
The Rangers had 14 hits in all, including three each from first baseman Prince Fielder and third baseman Adrian Beltre, and two each from designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo, Arencibia and Choice.
Eight of Texas’ hits came off Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who had his worst start of the season. Skaggs (2-1) gave up six runs on eight hits and three walks (one intentional) in 2 2/3 innings.
Aybar had three hits to lead the Angels offense.
The Rangers scored early and often against Skaggs, starting with three runs in the first inning. Fielder drove in the first run of the game with a double. Choice added an RBI single, and Arencibia hit a sacrifice fly.
The Angels responded with the solo shots from Aybar (No 2) and Pujols (No 10), cutting their deficit to 3-2.
The Rangers pushed across two more run in the second inning before knocking Skaggs out of the game in the third inning following a solo homer by Arencibia that made it 6-2.
Choice’s three-run homer off right-hander Kevin Jepsen in the fourth inning opened up 9-2 lead for Texas.