Vladimir Guerrero, Jeff Mathis and Hunter all homered in the big second inning that gave the Angels an 8-0 lead. All three shots were off Rangers starter Luis Mendoza (1-3), who allowed eight runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Hunter had an RBI single in the first and homered in the seventh.
Angels starter Ervin Santana (10-3), who was named an All-Star for the first time, allowed six runs and 10 hits in seven innings. He struck out six in winning for just the second time in six starts.
David Murphy and Chris Davis homered off Santana in Texas’ five-run fifth that nearly erased the eight-run deficit.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 35th save, the most ever before the All-Star break. Atlanta’s John Smoltz had 34 before the break in 2003.
Mathis hit a two-run homer that put the Angels ahead 4-0. After Maicer Izturis’ run-scoring single, Guerrero hit a two-run homer that traveled 436 feet and extended the lead to 7-0.
Hunter homered on the next pitch - a 442-foot shot that landed in the second deck in left. That knocked Mendoza out of the game in favor of Dustin Nippert.
Nippert pitched seven innings in the longest relief outing in the majors this season. He gave up one run and allowed three hits - one of which was Hunter’s solo homer in the seventh.
Ian Kinsler of the Rangers went 4-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 19 games. Kinsler doubled in the third and scored on Josh Hamilton’s double.
Murphy’s three-run homer brought Texas within 8-4, and Davis’ two-run shot cut Los Angeles’ lead to two in the fifth.
Hunter’s homer made it 9-6 in the seventh, and the Angels had a chance to build on their lead in the eighth with runners on first and third with one out.
Izturis hit a grounder to first baseman Davis, who threw home. Rangers catcher Max Ramirez was bowled over by Mathis trying to score.
Ramirez, who appeared to be injured on the play, suddenly picked himself up and threw out Casey Kotchman trying to advance to third. The rookie catcher stayed in for the rest of the game.
