Anderson is right back on bench

Garret Anderson knows his swing better than anyone else, but even after lining a single and crushing a game-winning two-run home run Tuesday night against Oakland, the veteran left fielder, who hit .188 with one homer in June, isn’t sure he’s swinging the bat any better.

“I can’t truthfully answer that until I play consistently,” Anderson said. “The next time I play it’s going to be like starting all over again. I like to play every day. That’s how I gauge how I’m feeling.”

Manager Mike Scioscia gave the struggling Anderson Sunday and Monday off to “let some air out, regroup.” Anderson’s reward for Tuesday’s performance? A spot back on the bench Wednesday, the third time in four games Anderson didn’t play.

Scioscia planned to start Juan Rivera on Wednesday “to see what he can contribute,” and Rivera came through with a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning against the A’s. But the manager admitted Anderson’s homer Tuesday made the decision much tougher.

“This must be one of the first days we’ve talked about some guys swinging the bat well that I took out of the lineup,” Scioscia said. “I guess it was an unusual dilemma.”

Case closed

A’s closer Huston Street was involved in a verbal altercation with a spectator after Tuesday night’s game at Angel Stadium, and the spectator was later arrested on suspicion of assault and battery on a security officer.

Anaheim Police Department spokesman Rick Martinez said Jeffrey Cole, 26, of Anaheim, was acting “drunk, loud and aggressive” and was shouting profanities on a stadium concourse. At one point, he directed his profanity at Street.

Martinez said security officers told Cole, who didn’t know Street was a player, to calm down. Martinez said they escorted Cole out of the area, at which point Cole punched a security officer in the head. Cole was arrested and booked.

Change of plans

Joe Saunders couldn’t throw his curve for a strike, so he went to “Plan B, keeping the ball down, using my changeup, and letting the defense work for me,” he said.

It worked. Saunders (12-4) pitched 6 1/3 innings Wednesday, giving up four runs -- two earned -- and six hits to move into a tie with Arizona’s Brandon Webb for the major league lead in wins.

Saunders, whose wife is due to deliver the couple’s first child Monday, could earn an All-Star berth, even though the left-hander isn’t quite sure of his credentials.

“I don’t consider myself an All-Star, but I’ve had a great year, and if it happens, it would be a great honor,” Saunders said. “It’s the last year in Yankee Stadium, it would be so much fun. I’d be on Cloud 9. If it doesn’t happen, I’ll keep pitching.”

Down and out?

Kelvim Escobar seems pessimistic about his chances of pitching this season after suffering a setback Monday in his recovery from a shoulder tear, but Scioscia hasn’t given up hope.

“He’s obviously concerned because of the way the inflammation came back out of the blue,” Scioscia said. “We’re going to let it calm down, and maybe then he’ll get some confidence back. . . . Let’s be patient and see where we are in a couple of days.”

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com