The Los Angeles Angels knew that playing well against the Oakland Athletics would give them a chance to get back in the wild-card race.
The team did just that on Wednesday night, winning 7-1 and completing a three-game sweep of their AL West division rivals.
Los Angeles is now 2 ½ games behind Oakland and Baltimore in the wild-card race.
"We needed it bad," said Dan Haren according to the Associated Press. "We knew we needed to get all three. Our will to win these last three games has been different from the rest of the year.
Haren pitched well for the Angels, allowing only one run in six innings on just three hits. He also had seven strikeouts and three walks.
Howie Kendrick hit a two-run single in the third inning and also added a double to propel the Angel offense. Outfielder Torii Hunter had two hits and three RBI's, while third baseman Alberto Callaspo scored two runs.
Slugger Albert Pujols had a double in the third inning that helped set up Kendrick's run-scoring single. Although he had a slow start to the season, Pujols is tied for third in the league with Adrian Gonzalez with 40 doubles on the year.
The Angels have gone 8-2 in their last ten games and outscored the Athletics' 21-5 over the three-game series. Oakland hadn't been swept at home since May when they dropped three to the Yankees and previously won nine games in a row before starting the series.
"It's awesome," Hunter said according to the Associated Press. "(Oakland) was one of the hottest teams in baseball. To come in here and take three from the hottest team, it shows a lot about this ballclub."
The only offense Oakland was able to muster came from a single by Seth Smith in the third that scored catcher Derek Norris.
The team had a scare early in the game when pitcher Brandon McCarthy took a line drive right off his head. The hit by Erick Aybar came straight at McCarthy and knocked him to the ground in pain. According to the Associated Press, he was conscious and doing well, but doctors had him stay overnight for more observation.
"You feel really bad," Aybar said in Spanish to the Associated Press. "He's a good guy. You never want to hit anybody over the head, and he's a good guy. Hopefully everything turns out all right and, God-willing, that he gets better soon."
The Angels start a three-game series on Friday against the Detroit Tigers, who are just a half-game behind Los Angeles in the wild-card race.
The first game will have righty Ervin Santana face off against Detroit's Max Scherzer, who is 15-6 on the season.
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