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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Andy Ashby is rediscovering his winning touch.

	Ashby

After losing eight decisions in a row dating to last year, Ashby won his second straight with a solid outing Saturday in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Angels -- their 10th win in 11 games.

After starting the season in the bullpen, Ashby moved back into the rotation when Darren Dreifort had season-ending knee surgery.

"It's frustrating when you sit for a couple of weeks without pitching, especially with the way the team is playing,'' Ashby said. "It's nice to go out and be a part of it.

"You have to stay positive and try to work through it. But it's a long year. The bottom line is that everybody here has been great and supportive.''

Ashby (2-4) held the Angels, who lost for the seventh time in nine games, to one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Adrian Beltre hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run first inning against John Lackey (4-7).

The pitching-rich Dodgers, who entered the day tied for first place in the NL West with San Francisco, have won the first two games of the Freeway Series.

Eric Gagne pitched the ninth to earn his major league-leading 29th save and 37th in a row dating to last year. He allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Bengie Molina before retiring David Eckstein with two on to end it.

Beltre hit his first homer since April 30. His fifth of the season came after Daryle Ward singled home Los Angeles' first run with two outs.

"It felt great. I haven't had that feeling for almost two months,'' Beltre said. "I'm just happy to be swinging the bat better. It's frustrating when you take such a long time to hit one.

"It was a breaking ball over the plate. He threw two good ones before that, but that one he hung, so I took advantage of it.''

Brad Fullmer's ninth homer, leading off the fifth, accounted for the Angels' first run. They stranded eight runners.

"We had some chances, like when Garret (Anderson) led off the second with a double and we didn't get him around,'' Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said. "We haven't been executing offensively the way we know we can.''

Lackey gave up four runs on five hits in four innings.

Ashby was lifted after he hit Jeff DaVanon with a pitch and Tim Salmon reached on third baseman Beltre's fielding error.

Reliever Wilson Alvarez got Anderson on a fly to right, then hit Fullmer with a pitch to load the bases. But the left-hander escaped the jam by striking out Scott Spiezio with a high fastball on a full count.

The Angels were missing two key players from their starting lineup. Troy Glaus was out because of back spasms and Darin Erstad, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, did not start.

Erstad singled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.

Game notes

Eckstein went 0-for-5 and is batting .232, but Scioscia said, "He's one of the best leadoff hitters in the league, and he'll get back in form.'' ... Dodgers C Paul Lo Duca went 0-for-4, ending his streak of reaching base safely at 30 consecutive games. ... The Dodgers' four runs in the first inning were their most in their first at-bat this year. ... Beltre had gone 147 at-bats without a homer. ... Los Angeles CF Dave Roberts' bunt single in the first inning was his major league-high 13th of the season. Seven of his bunt singles have come in the first inning. ... Erstad's hit was his 155th in interleague play, most by any player. Anderson, who also had one hit, is second with 143.