Angels 6, Rangers 3

(ARLINGTON, Texas) - Troy Glaus homered twice, and Ramon Ortiz tamed the powerful Texas Rangers lineup again to lead the Anaheim Angels to a 6-3 victory Saturday night. <br><br>With the bases loaded and

Sunday, April 7th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(ARLINGTON, Texas) - Troy Glaus homered twice, and Ramon Ortiz tamed the powerful Texas Rangers lineup again to lead the Anaheim Angels to a 6-3 victory Saturday night.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Alex Rodriguez hit a long drive off Al Levine that was caught on the warning track in left field.

Thinking he had connected for a game-winning grand slam, Rodriguez raised his arms and pumped his fist as he started toward first base. But the wind seemed to hold the ball in the park, and Garret Anderson made the catch in deep left.

Ortiz (1-0) overcame early home runs by Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro to improve to 7-1 career against the Rangers. He is 17-19 against everyone else, and his five victories against Texas last season matched the most by a Rangers opponent.

Making his first start of the season, Ortiz, recently found to be three years older than originally listed, gave up homers to two of his first five batters, then settled down and didn't allow another run.

He retired 11 in a row during one stretch and left after seven innings, giving up five hits and three walks. He struck out three.

Ben Weber got five outs but walked the bases loaded in the ninth before giving way to Levine.

The right-hander walked Herbert Perry on four pitches to force in a run before retiring Rodriguez for his second save in two days while filling in for injured closer Troy Percival.

Anaheim struggled early against Hideki Irabu (0-1), then Glaus hit a solo homer in the fourth and Orlando Palmeiro hit a two-run single off reliever Steve Woodard in the sixth.

Glaus added a three-run shot off Todd Van Poppel in the ninth to make it 6-2.

Irabu, starting because new ace Chan Ho Park is on the disabled list, allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out three and walked none, but hit a batter.

On an unusually cold night _ the temperature was 52 degrees at first pitch _ Rodriguez began to heat up. He stopped a 1-for-18 start to the season by lining a 1-2 fastball 413 feet onto the grassy knoll in center field in the first inning, then had a hard smash under Glaus' glove for a single in the sixth.

Yet the Rangers are still experiencing a power outage from their lineup. Texas has only 22 runs in six games _ five of them losses. They scored seven runs in their only win.

Juan Gonzalez struck out twice and grounded into a double play his first three at-bats. Rookie Hank Blalock went 0-for-2 to extend his hitless streak to 14 at-bats, and Frank Catalanotto and Ivan Rodriguez flied out to end innings with two runners on.

For Anaheim, Anderson doubled twice and scored the go-ahead run. He also made a nice play in the left-field corner to hold Gabe Kapler to a single on a hard-hit ball.

Notes: NASCAR driver Johnny Benson threw out the first pitch. His catcher was Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith, in town for a major league baseball promotion at Sunday's Winston Cup race in Fort Worth. Benson's car will be painted with a baseball theme, including two Rangers logos. ... Texas placed lefty reliever Rich Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list because of a problem with the index finger on his throwing hand. OF Kevin Mench was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma, cutting the Rangers' 13-man pitching staff to 12. ... To complete two DL moves Friday involving Percival and Benji Gil, Anaheim transferred RHP Steve Green to the 60-day disabled list. He's coming off Tommy John surgery.