ARLINGTON, Texas — Gary Matthews Jr. snapped out of his September slump with a tiebreaking homer and a two-run single for the Los Angeles Angels in a 10-5 victory over the Texas Rangers today.

Howie Kendrick drove in five runs with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded triple for the Angels (89-60), who won two of three in the series. Juan Rivera and Chone Figgins also homered.

Closing in on a third straight AL West title and fifth in six years, the Angels stretched their lead to 7½ games over second-place Texas with 13 to play.

The Rangers (81-67) wrapped up a 2-7 homestand during which they had four shutout losses and dropped 2½ games in the division standings.

Boston leads the Rangers by eight games in the AL wild-card race. Texas' also loss meant that the New York Yankees could clinch a playoff berth Sunday with a victory at Seattle.

Matthews was 1 for 13 in his seven games this month before a two-run single in the second that got Los Angeles to 3-2. His baserunning mistake led to an inning-ending double play, but he made up for that with his two-out solo homer in the sixth that broke a 5-all tie and chased rookie left-hander Derek Holland (7-12).

Kendrick's two-run homer tied the game earlier in the sixth. He finished with three hits and is batting .420 (34 of 81) in his last 20 games.

An inning later, after Los Angeles loaded the bases following two quick outs, Kendrick hit a liner that glanced off the stretched-out glove of center fielder Marlon Byrd and rolled to the wall.

Texas, after scoring only four runs combined in its previous six games, took a 3-0 lead in the first off John Lackey (11-8), who had allowed only three earned runs in his previous four starts. But Los Angeles immediately responded with runs each time after the Rangers scored.

Lackey allowed five runs, four earned, in six innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Holland gave up six runs while losing his fifth consecutive start.

Hank Blalock had an RBI single in the Texas first before a two-run single by Nelson Cruz, who was 3 for 30 in his previous nine games. David Murphy had a leadoff double and scored on Kinsler's sacrifice fly in the third, but Rivera's solo homer came in the fourth.

Byrd's RBI single in the fifth put Texas up 5-3, but the Angels homered twice in the following inning to go ahead for good.