Pearce, Gonzalez lead Orioles past Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Steve Pearce hit a three-run homer, Miguel Gonzalez pitched seven stellar innings in his first career victory, and the Baltimore Orioles hung on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Friday night.

Gonzalez (1-0), who is from the nearby San Fernando Valley, yielded three hits and a run while striking out six to win his first major league start, delighting a few dozen friends and family members at Angel Stadium. The 28-year-old rookie outdueled All-Star C.J. Wilson for the Orioles’ third victory in four games during their West Coast road swing.

Wilson (9-5) allowed just four hits and three walks over seven innings in his final start before his All-Star game appearance, but the Angels lost with the left-hander on the mound for the first time in nine starts since May 17.

Mark Trumbo hit his 50th career homer for the Angels, who have lost three of four while missing chances to gain ground on the slumping Texas Rangers in the AL West. Mike Trout also homered in the eighth for Los Angeles, which has lost just two of its last seven games against Baltimore.

After Troy Patton escaped an eighth-inning jam, Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 26th save for Baltimore.

Gonzalez allowed just one runner to reach second base for the Angels, who signed the right-hander as a rookie free agent in December 2004 before losing him to Boston four years later in the Rule 5 draft. Gonzalez sat out two full seasons with injuries and eventually signed with Baltimore last March.

Gonzalez made his only mistake to Trumbo, who connected in the fourth inning for his 21st homer of the season. The slugger hit his first 50 homers in a club-record 232 games, faster than Tim Salmon’s 245.

But Pearce’s homer into the short left-field porch ruined another solid start for Wilson, who allowed only Adam Jones’ single and two walks in the first four innings — and he picked off both of the runners he walked as they attempted to steal.

After Wilson Betemit singled and Mark Reynolds walked to open the fifth, Pearce hit just his third homer of the season on a full-count inside pitch. Wilson has allowed just two homers in his last 10 starts — and Pearce hit both of them, also connecting off Wilson in Baltimore on June 26 during the Angels’ 7-3 win.

Although Wilson posted another strong statistical line, the two-time All-Star again struggled with his control at times while needing 122 pitches to get through seven innings.

Trout drove his 11th homer of the season to center against Darren O’Day in the eighth. Torii Hunter followed with a triple, but after O’Day intentionally walked Albert Pujols, Patton got Kendrys Morales on a popup.

NOTES: Before the game, Los Angeles recalled RHP Eric Hurley from Triple-A Salt Lake to take the roster spot of Garrett Richards, who was optioned after his rocky start Thursday. Hurley hasn’t appeared in the majors since July 27, 2008, with Texas. He signed with the Angels as a free agent in the offseason and made 17 starts at Salt Lake, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he probably won’t start Sunday in place of injured Dan Haren. ... Pearce never hit more than four homers in a season during his previous five years spent with Pittsburgh. ... Gonzalez lists his hometown as Pacoima, Calif., a district of Los Angeles best known as the home of rocker Ritchie Valens and actor Danny Trejo.