Matt Shoemaker pitched five scoreless innings in his first start for the Angels in more than five months, Taylor Ward snapped a scoreless tie with his seventh-inning homer and the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 on Monday night.
Ward's two-run homer was part of a three-run seventh that made rookie reliever Taylor Cole (1-2) a first-time winner. Cole went 1 1/3 innings after relieving Shoemaker.
Shoemaker had missed 134 games since going on the disabled list because of a right forearm strain after his first start of the season March 31. The right-hander missed the final 3 1/2 months last season because of the same issue.