ST. LOUIS — Throughout the Angels’ 99-loss nightmare last season, Manager Ron Washington said after many of those losses that the Angels were learning how to win. They were learning how little things can often be the difference in a game. While it would be unreasonable to conclude from the first four games this year that they’ve actually turned a corner, Washington is nonetheless encouraged. After the Angels beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, in 10 innings on Monday night – their third straight one-run victory highlighted by pristine execution when it mattered most – Washington sounded like a proud father. “I feel great about it,” Washington said, “because we discuss that all the time in spring training, and a lot of times you do things in spring training, and it just don’t transfer. The past two years, we’ve been pounding that. Now maybe we’re getting it. I tell you what, we seem like we’re involved.” In this one, the Angels (3-1) overcame a two-run deficit, and made all the big pitches and big defensive plays to come out on top. In the 10th, Kyren Paris – who had tied the score with a triple in the seventh – drew a leadoff walk. Kevin Newman then dropped down a bunt to move both Paris and automatic runner Luis Rengifo into scoring position. After an intentional walk to Taylor Ward loaded the bases, Nolan Schanuel hit a grounder to second baseman Brendan Donovan, whose throw home was too late to get the speedy Rengifo. The ball was not hit hard enough to warrant Donovan taking the chance on the play at the plate. It was just the kind of fundamental mistake that the Angels so often made last year. This time, they took advantage of an opponent’s mistake. With an opportunity to get an insurance run without a hit, Mike Trout hit his second sacrifice fly of the game. That proved to be the decisive run. The Angels managed five runs with only four hits, thanks to three sacrifice flies and the run that scored on Schanuel’s ground ball. The Angels still only have two hits with runners in scoring position through their first four games, but they’ve scored 10 runs. Certainly, 10 runs in four games isn’t much, but it’s been enough for three victories. “It’s a fun last few games,” Trout said. “It’s been a good, good team win. Everybody’s contributing. We’re just having good at-bats, grinding the at-bats. We harp on that in our meetings. Just pulling for each other. Passing the baton.” The offense could start producing bigger numbers as soon as Trout gets going. He’s 1 for 13. Trout has been working to adjust his hand position after feeling like he’d gotten into bad habits at the plate the last few years. “My work’s been great,” Trout said. “Just trying to translate it in the game. And it will. Just trusting it. I’m putting some good swings on, just missing some balls. But we’re winning, so that’s all that matters.” The pitching and defense are keying the victories so far. Starter Tyler Anderson gave up three runs in five innings on Monday, snapping the Angels’ streak of three straight quality starts to begin the season. Anderson made an early mistake when he left a 1-and-2 changeup over the heart of the plate, and Lars Nootbaar hit it barely over the right field fence. Anderson gave up another homer to Donavan in the second inning, this one on a better pitch. It was a sinker down and in. The final run scored after two walks and a bloop hit in the fifth. “Just more of like a grind, kind of battle outing,” Anderson said. “Feel like command wasn’t great so just tried to battle the best I could.” The bullpen took it the rest of the way. Angels relievers did not allow an earned run in five innings. Relievers Reid Detmers, Ryan Zeferjahn, Garrett McDaniels, Brock Burke and Ryan Johnson did the job. The top two relievers, Ben Joyce and Kenley Jansen, were unavailable after helping to secure the previous two victories. McDaniels got out of a jam in the eighth with the help of a nice stop from third baseman Yoán Moncada. Johnson, who gave up five runs in his major league debut on Thursday, bounced back with a solid performance in the 10th. He allowed the Cardinals to get their automatic runner home, but then nothing else. “We’ve only play four games, and we just got to keep it up,” Washington said. “That’s it. Just keep pulling for one another, keep going out there doing what the game asks us to do, and keep throwing the ball off that mound the way we’ve been doing, and the way they’ve been coming out that bullpen. We’re gonna be OK.” Related Articles Angels eager to get a look at new ‘torpedo bats’ Kyren Paris’ late homer lifts Angels to rain-soaked win over White Sox Angels will play the hot hand at shortstop until Zach Neto returns José Soriano dominates as Angels pull out 1-0 victory over White Sox Garrett McDaniels says making the Angels was a ‘dream come true’ ...read more read less