Torii Hunter is The Man again as Angels beat A’s, 4-1

Angels catcher Jeff Mathis and relief pitcher Jordan Walden celebrate their 4-1 victory over the Oakland A's on Monday night.
Oakland Athletics third baseman Andy LaRoche can't avoid the tag by Angels catcher Jeff Mathis as the two collide in the top of the seventh Monday.
Angles third baseman Alberto Callaspo pops out to second base against the Oakland A's in the bottom of the sixth.
Oakland A's designated hitter Hideki Matsui pops out to shortstop against the Angels in the top of the sixth on Monday night.
Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu steals second base against Oakland A's second baseman Andy LaRoche in the bottom of the eight.
Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo scores past Oakland A's catcher Kurt Suzuki on a hit by Angels catcher Jeff Mathis in the bottom of the eight.
Angels catcher Jeff Mathis hits a two-run single against the Oakland A's in the bottom of the eight on Monday. Angels won 4-1.
Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver throws to the Oakland A's in the second inning Monday.
Oakland A's starting pitcher Josh Outman throws to the Angels during the second inning Monday.
A's designated hitter Hideki Matsui hits a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Coco Crisp in the bottom of the third Monday.
Oaklan A's Coco Crisp scores on a sacrifice fly by Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the third.
Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver throws to the Oakland A's during the second inning Tuesday.
The Angels' Bobby Abreu singles to center against the Oakland A's driving in Maicer Izturis in the first inning Monday.
Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver and Angels catcher Jeff Mathis confer at the mound in the bottom of the third Monday.
Oakland third baseman Andy LaRoche is thrown out at home plate by Angels catcher Jeff Mathis to end the inning in the top of the seventh.
The Angels' Torii Hunter hits an RBI-double against the Oakland A's driving Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu in the bottom of the eight.

By Bill Plunkett | bplunkett@scng.com | Orange County Register

May 23, 2011 at 11:18 p.m.

Torii Hunter has been trying to carry the Angels for awhile – to the detriment of both. But now he is.

One day after breaking one of the longest home run droughts of his career with the big hit in an Angels’ win, Hunter came through again with the bat – and his arm – in a 4-1 victory over the Oakland A’s Monday night.

“Torii’s a good hitter,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who has been more honest than Hunter about the veteran’s handicapping himself by trying too hard to lift the team by himself. “He’s too good a hitter to stay down as long as we saw.

“His swing was getting big and I think he really did feel he had to break a game open with a home run here and there. He’s using the whole field now and getting back into his game.”

His game Monday night featured a throw from right field in the seventh inning to nail a runner trying to score from second on a single. That kept the game tied at 1-1.

Then in the eighth, he came up with a runner at second – scoring position, the Angels’ season-long nemesis and a particular thorn in Hunter’s side. The Angels had gone hitless in their previous six at-bats with runners in scoring position against A’s starter Josh Outman (in his first major-league appearance since June 2009) since Bobby Abreu’s RBI single in the first inning.

Just a few days ago, Hunter was batting .212 with runners in scoring position this season. But he drove an RBI double into the right-center field gap (his second double there in the game) to drive in the go-ahead run, his sixth RBI in the past four games and his third hit in his past six at-bats with RISP. Jeff Mathis added a two-out single to drive in two more runs (his first RBIs since April 22).

“I probably tried to do a little too much at times,” Hunter finally admitted. “But I don’t call it pressure. I call it raising your game. That’s what elite players do.”

Trying to raise his game brought Hunter to a low point Thursday in Seattle when he lost a fly ball in the sun, costing the Angels a game. Afterward, Hunter spoke of spending “seven weeks in hell” as he slumped through the early weeks of this season.

In four games since then, it has been Hunter shining. He is 7 for 15 with three doubles, Sunday’s home run and six RBI. Not coincidentally, the Angels have won three of those four games.

“I felt less than a man,” Hunter said. “I think of myself as ‘The Man’ on defense and the sun was something I couldn’t beat. Maybe I needed that. Maybe I need to feel less than a man. I think I’ve been humbled a little bit.”

The rally came too late to make a winner of Angels starter Jered Weaver, who remains winless in five starts this month. Weaver looked more like his April self, allowing just one run on six hits and three walks in his seven innings, but Scioscia said he “didn’t have his best stuff.”

“That’s Jered – when he’s not right on the money, he still gives you a chance to win,” Scioscia said.

— Reporting from Anaheim.