Orioles’ Sweep Puts Angels on Verge of Extinction, 4-2 in 12

One of Angel Manager Gene Mauch’s biggest frustrations--and there have been many--has been his team’s inability to get good hitting and good pitching in the same game. Too often in their recent slump, the Angels have had one without the other.

It happened again Thursday night, and it added up to a potentially devastating 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in front of 27,004 spectators in Anaheim Stadium.

Ron Washington’s two-run double down the left-field line in in the top of the 12th inning gave the Orioles a sweep of the three-game series, and further jeopardized the Angels’ chances of getting back in the race in the American League West.

John Candelaria gave the Angels his longest outing in 25 starts, allowing five hits and two runs over eight innings, but all he would had to show for his effort was a no-decision.

Candelaria’s only real mistakes were two home runs hit by former Angel Fred Lynn.

With a strong effort from rookie starter Eric Bell and some good defensive plays, Baltimore handed the Angels the latest in a series of frustrating defeats. They have lost 6 of 7 games on this homestand.

Lynn’s first home run came with one out in the second. He hit a 1-and-2 pitch from Candelaria well into the right-field seats to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. His second may have had a little help.

Lynn led off the fifth by pulling a high fly ball to the right-field corner. Tony Armas, making his first major-league start since last October, drifted over until he was near the foul pole, and leaned over the short section of the outfield fence in an attempt to make the catch. A television replay showed a fan reach up for the ball and make contact with Armas’ left (glove) arm. Armas came away empty-handed, but immediately gestured to first-base umpire Drew Coble that he had been interfered with. Coble merely circled one finger in the air, signifying Lynn’s second home run of the game and 19th of the season. More important, it tied the game, 2-2.

The Angels--more specifically Devon White--stole a run in the bottom of the second. With one out, White dropped a base hit into short center field, and didn’t stop running until he slid in safely at second, ahead of center fielder Lynn’s throw.

White stole third, and scored on Wally Joyner’s single through the right side of the Oriole infield to make it 1-1. Joyner stole second--his sixth stolen base of the season--but was stranded when Bell struck out Mark McLemore and got Brian Downing to pop out to end the inning.

Armas contributed his first RBI as an Angel to give his new team a 2-1 lead in the third. Schofield led off the inning by singling to center, then gave the Angels their third stolen base in three innings by swiping second. Two outs later, Armas delivered a single to left.

But that would be all the Angels could come up with against Bell, a 23-year old left-hander who produced extremely mixed results in his two previous outings against the Angels. He started on May 15, but couldn’t make it out of the first inning. He was charged with three hits and four runs. Two days later, he worked 5 innings in relief, and gave up only 4 hits and two runs.

Angel Notes

Pitcher Don Sutton was in no mood for questions Thursday, declining to comment on the events of Wednesday night. Frank Robinson, Baltimore’s interim manager, accused Sutton of scuffing baseballs in the Orioles’ 2-1 victory and brought his complaints to the attention of home plate umpire Don Denkinger. Denkinger said after the game that he confiscated three baseballs to send to the office of American League President Dr. Bobby Brown. This in the wake of the Joe Niekro scuffing incident two weeks ago at the Big A. Said Angel Manager Gene Mauch: “If they allowed a pitcher to scuff a baseball, anybody who didn’t would be foolish. But the minute you find out they’re checking on it and suspending people, you’d be foolish to do it. Don Sutton isn’t foolish.” . . . Infielder Gus Polidor has an eight-game hitting streak and 11 hits in his last 30 at-bats, but was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game Thursday. Polidor appears to be back where he started before a shoulder injury to shortstop Dick Schofield allowed him to play regularly. Entering Thursday night’s game, Schofield had hit in 22 of his last 25 games and compiled a .367 batting average in that span. Second baseman Mark McLemore was hitting .296 (16 of 54) in his last 17 games. Both have been more than solid defensively, making it difficult for Polidor to break back into the lineup. . . . Tonight, left hander Jerry Reuss is scheduled to make his first appearence since coming off the disabled last Sunday. Reuss hasn’t pitched since July 21 against Seattle, when he left the game in the first inning with a strained calf muscle. Reuss pitched the Angels’ last complete game at home, that coming June 21 against Kansas City.