TAYLOR WARD hit his 15th home run of the season Friday(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

With their eighth straight win, the Los Angeles Angels climbed back to .500 and moved to within a half-game of second place in the American League West.

The Halos took a 4-0 lead and held on for a 7-4 victory over the Miami Marlins in Anaheim, powered in part by their continuing long ball offense.

Taylor Ward hit his 15th hone run of the season, and Jorge Soler added his seventh as the home team rapped out 14 hits.

Yusei Kikuchi (1-4) posted his first win of the season in fine style, working 5.2 innings and yielding seven hits and no runs. He struck out four batters and walked four.

The Angels (25-25), who have not lost a game since May 14, will host the Marlins again on Saturday.

IN NEW YORK CITY, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets battled into the 13th inning and the Blue Crew emerged with a 7-45 victory.

The Dodgers (31-19) maintained a 1.5-game lead in the National League West with the win. They lost an early lead and were forced into extra innings when they gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score at 5-5.

It remained that way until Teoscar Hernandez doubled in what proved to be the winning run in the 13th. He ended up batting 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

The two teams will play again on Saturday.