Angels 9 Rangers 5

Saturday, September 18th 2004, 12:10 pm

By: News On 6

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) _ Vladimir Guerrero homered twice and Troy Glaus and Jose Guillen also went deep as the Anaheim Angels gained ground in the A-L West race with a 9-to-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

The win propels the Angels within a game of division-leading Oakland in the West.

Bartolo Colon shrugged off first-inning homers by Hank Blalock and Mark Teixeira to win for the 11th time in 14 starts. He's 16-and-11. Colon allowed three runs and three hits in seven innings and struck out seven.

The Rangers played without All-Star Alfonso Soriano, who missed his second game of the season after straining his left hamstring stealing third base Thursday night.

Before the game, the Rangers learned that relievers Frank Francisco, Doug Brocail and Carlos Almanzar were suspended and fined by the commissioner's office for their role in Monday's bullpen brawl with fans in Oakland. All three pitchers appealed their suspensions and were available to pitch.

Francisco allowed Guerrero's second homer of the game in the eighth. Guerrero broke a 3-3 tie with his 31st homer leading off the fifth inning.