Going into Tuesday's game, the Angels led the majors with a .301 batting average with runners in scoring position -- that was a full 16 points higher than anyone else in baseball and 38 points higher than the major league average.

But that statistic has been on a steady decline recently with the team struggling in the clutch. The Angels were hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position Tuesday before Erick Aybar's game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning.

Over the last 19 games, the Angels are batting just .226 (40-for-177) with runners in scoring position. Not surprisingly, they have a losing record in those games (9-10).

The Angels have seen some good pitching recently, including three starts by Cy Young candidates Zack Greinke and Felix Hernandez in the last week. But leadoff man Chone Figgins said the clutch slump is more about the Angels' hitters than it is about the caliber of pitching they have been facing.

"For us, it's probably more so from trying too hard," Figgins said. "We're trying too hard to get that big hit -- which is a good thing. But sometimes we have to back off and make that pitcher work a bit."

Manager Mike Scioscia places a lot of emphasis on "situational hitting" in his offensive philosophy, with RISP hitting possibly the most important situation. But he recognizes that results can be cyclical.

"Well, I think if you look at the way we've been hitting this year, our situational hitting has been off the charts," Scioscia said. "I don't think it's anything we have to over-adjust. We just have to keep getting opportunities, keep getting men in scoring position."

ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2 (10 innings): With the Texas Rangers poised to take a big bite out of their AL West lead, having swept a doubleheader, the Angels held them off with Erick Aybar's game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning. Brian Fuentes blew a save in the ninth inning, and the Angels left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth before salvaging their fourth victory in the last five games.

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