Angels’ Pettis Goes to Wall in Sweep of Twins

The Angels spelled relief Thursday with a couple of Ds, for defense and determination.

Center fielder Gary Pettis exemplified the defense, adding to his 1984 catalogue of game-savers with back-to-the-wall catches in both the eighth and ninth innings, enabling the Angels to hold off the Twins, 9-8, after having 4-0 and 8-4 leads.

Donnie Moore, Doug Corbett and Luis Sanchez displayed the determination, providing tenacious if not always artistic relief pitching on a day when they might have preferred being either in bed or the clubhouse whirlpool.

This was indoor carpetball at its surrealistic worst until the Angels provided a dignified conclusion with the two catches by Pettis and the following:

--Second baseman Rob Wilfong’s sprawling stop of Kent Hrbek’s potential single in the eighth, preventing the tying run from scoring.

--Catcher Bob Boone’s backhanding of two potential wild pitches in the same inning, also preventing the tying run from scoring.

--Shortstop Dick Schofield’s ranging stop of a potential game-tying single by Mark Salas with two on and two out in the ninth.

Schofield came up with the ball behind second, then made an off-balance throw to first for the final out of an improbable game in which the Twins collected 14 hits and the Angels 12, 10 in the first four innings.

Doug DeCinces paved the way for Ken Schrom’s eventual departure in the third by hitting a three-run homer in the first. Rod Carew singled in a run in the second, singled and scored in the fourth, and squeezed in a run in the sixth. Brian Downing singled and scored in the first, singled in a run in the fourth, and walked against Ron Davis with the bases loaded in the eighth, forcing in the run that proved decisive.

Besides all that, Pettis, who had a two-run single in Wednesday night’s 4-3 win, singled twice, walked, stole two bases and scored two runs, all before his game-saving glove work; Ruppert Jones walked and scored in the second and doubled in a run in the third, and Reggie Jackson singled twice, scored two runs, drove in one and made a diving catch of a sinking liner with two on in the second.

Burdened by great expectations, the Twins have now lost seven in a row. The three-game sweep here was a first for the Angels in the 25 years they have been traveling to Minnesota. They will open a six-game home stand at Anaheim Stadium tonight against Seattle, with pressure on Ron Romanick to duplicate his first start, when he reversed the normal procedure and provided relief for a devastated bullpen by going 8 innings in Oakland.

Pettis, of course, improves the pitching no matter who’s doing it.

The Twins had the tying run at second with two out in the eighth when Tom Brunansky hit Moore’s first pitch to deep left-center. Pettis raced over and made a leaping catch about two feet in front of a glass partition atop the seven-foot fence. Brunansky, already around second, slammed his helmet in frustration.

Then, with one out and no one on in the ninth, pinch-hitter Mike Stenhouse lifted a towering drive to right-center.

Pettis put his back against the fence, then reached above and behind it to deprive Stenhouse of a game-tying homer.

“If the fence is a little higher, I may not have been able to reach back and catch it,” Pettis said.

He said he wasn’t sure of the other catch until he was in the air. “But my attitude is that I always feel I have a chance if it stays in the ballpark,” he said.

Manager Gene Mauch shook his head as he reflected on the catch that robbed Brunansky, then said: “Considering the situation, it goes in Gary’s book as ranking with the best of his catches. I’ve seen him make more demanding catches athletically, but it was still a beauty. It was the game.”

This was a game that started with Tommy John unable to hold his early lead, ultimately yielding seven hits and four runs in 2 innings.

A tenacious brand of relief was provided by:

--Sanchez, battling a persistently sore neck that began bothering him during the winter and affects his ability to pivot in his delivery.

--Corbett, unable to put weight on a left knee that has been drained of excess fluid twice in the last five days and may require surgery at any time.

--Moore, coming back from his three-inning stint Wednesday night to earn his second save with 1 shutout innings, helped in part by Pettis.

Mauch said that Moore had worked on guts and guts alone. He vowed not to use him tonight unless Moore volunteers. Moore sat at his locker and laughed as he heard Jackson yell at him:

“Eat good, take vitamins and get your rest. You may be the first reliever to lead a staff in innings pitched.”

Angel Notes The Angels are expected to have an announcement today on the status of Daryl Sconiers, who has been undergoing treatment for “substance abuse” at Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Sconiers is expected to attend a news conference at Anaheim Stadium. . . . Donnie Moore has not allowed a run in the six innings of his last four appearances. Said Moore, on coming back after his three shutout innings only 15 hours earlier: “Lach (pitching coach Marcel Lacheman) asked me how I felt, and I told him I could pitch an inning or so. It’s tough going out there when you don’t have anything, but the defense picked me up.” . . . Doug Corbett replaced Luis Sanchez in the sixth but lost the stability and strength in his left knee while pitching to Mark Salas in the eighth. He faced three more batters before Moore replaced him with a full count on Tom Brunansky. “I was happy to be able to get out there but disappointed that I didn’t have enough strength to get through the eighth,” Corbett said. “I wanted to give Donnie the day off, but I couldn’t get enough weight over my front foot to drive through my pitches.” .Corbett said that he had no time to worry about the condition, that he will be at Anaheim Stadium at 3 today to receive therapy in a bid to be back in the bullpen tonight. “I’ve been told that if it swells up again, I might need surgery, but I can’t worry about it,” he said. “It could blow at any time, but I’ve got a job to do in the meantime.” . . . Manager Gene Mauch said of Corbett: “I think Doug is being overly courageous. I think his knee hurts like hell when he throws a change-up. He won’t admit it, but I know better. I’m anxious for it to get better. I’d say I’m more anxious than worried.” . . . In his part-time designated hitter-outfield role, Ruppert Jones has seven hits and five RBIs. He also has scored five runs and is hitting .304 (7 for 23).