Baltimore, MD (Best E Casino) - Casey Kotchman hit a two-run home run as the LA Angels of Anaheim took a 6-5 win against the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a three-game set at Camden Yards.

Joe Saunders (13-5) got the win as he gave up four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work for the Angels, who have won three straight and eight of nine overall.

"We got a good thing going," said Saunders. "We are swinging the bats well right now and our pitching has been there, especially our bullpen."

Juan Rivera added a solo home run while Torii Hunter hit a two-run double for Anaheim, which kicked off a 10-game road trip.

Brian Burres (7-7) was saddled with the loss as he lasted just 1 2/3 innings and gave up five runs on seven hits for the Orioles, who have dropped their last four games. Kevin Millar had a pair of solo home runs in the loss.

The Angels plated five runs in the first two innings to take the lead.

In the first, Chone Figgins led off with a single and, after the next two batters recorded outs, Vladimir Guerrero walked to keep the inning alive. Hunter then roped a double to right-center to bring home both runners.

In the second, Rivera led off the frame with a home run into the left field seats. Figgins later reached base on an infield single and Kotchman followed with a blast over the right field fence for a 5-0 lead.

Millar started the third inning for Baltimore by belting a pitch into the left field stands to make it a 5-1 game.

Baltimore had runners on first and second with one out in the fourth, but Ramon Hernandez grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Orioles rallied in the seventh to make it a one-run game. With the bases loaded, Jay Payton punched a double to the gap in right-center that brought home Hernandez and Adam Jones. Later in the inning, a passed ball allowed Millar to score and make it a 5-4 contest.

LA got some insurance in the eighth on an RBI single from Garret Anderson that plated Guerrero to make it a 6-4 contest.

Scot Shields, who got the final out of the seventh, worked a perfect eighth inning for LA.

What Scot Shields did in the seventh inning and getting us through the eighth was real important to us," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia.

Francisco Rodriguez stepped on the mound in the ninth to close things out. He stuck out Hernandez to start the inning and Jones flied out. But Millar blasted his second home run of the game to make it a one-run contest and Brandon Fahey followed with a double to left-center. However, Luke Scott grounded out weakly to first and Rodriguez picked up his MLB-leading 43rd save of the season.

Game Notes

The Angels have taken six of the last eight games against the Orioles...Attendance was 27,999...Millar has 14 home runs on the season...Saunders is 4-0 in four starts against Baltimore in his career...Burres fell to 2-1 in three career starts against the Angels.