Slaton, Filling in for Forsch in Admirable Fashion, Beats A’s, 6-1

Ken Forsch took another step toward a return from the disabled list Monday, pitching three innings of a simulated game without pain in his elbow.

Then, for the third time, Jim Slaton made the pain of Forsch’s absence a little less severe for the Angels.

He restricted a previously productive offense to three hits in eight innings, pitching the Angels to a 6-1 win over Oakland before an Anaheim Stadium crowd of 23,111.

Donnie Moore pitched a hitless ninth and has now not allowed a run in the six innings of his last five appearances.

The victory, which left the Angels in undisputed possession of the American League West lead with an 8-5 record, came at the expense of Don Sutton, who had won his first two starts for the A’s and was bidding for his 283rd career win.

The Angels were given 11 walks and collected 11 hits, including solo homers by Doug DeCinces and Juan Beniquez. The former also singled in a run and the latter saved a run with a diving catch.

It was still only a 3-1 Angel lead in the eighth when Reggie Jackson doubled in a run and Bobby Grich singled in two. The Angels have now scored 44 runs in their last seven games, winning six.

The A’s scored only once, on Mike Heath’s homer in the second.

Slaton is 2-0, having pitched into the seventh inning, at least, in each of his three starts as Forsch’s replacement, all of which the Angels have won.

His versatility after 14 major league seasons is both a blessing and curse for Slaton, who would prefer the security of the rotation but realizes he will probably return to the uncertainty of long relief when Forsch returns to the active list.

At that, however, nothing is ever certain with an older or veteran club.

Tommy John, for example, may not be able to start tonight because of a stiff neck. Geoff Zahn received a cortisone injection for the persistent tendinitis in his shoulder Monday. The next 48 hours will determine if he can start in Seattle Friday night.

Of Forsch’s anticipated return on May 1 Slaton said: “I’m not thinking of that at all. I’m just trying to help us win. I know they’re thinking of me still as a spot starter, but with our history of injuries I may get a chance to start more than expected. I made 22 starts last year and felt good about the way I was pitching at the end of the year. It’s all up to the manager.”

But Gene Mauch was noncommittal.

“I want our starting pitchers to make it as tough as they can on me,” he said, alluding to future decisions. “So far, in 12 of the 13 games, our starter has left the mound having done a credible job.”

Slaton struck out four, walked only one and retired American League RBI leader Mike Davis, who drove in 10 runs during a recent three-game series against the Angels in Oakland, on three infield ground outs.

The A’s had scored 23 runs in Sutton’s first two starts and batted .272 while winning seven of their last nine games. This time, however, they put more than one runner on base in only the sixth, when Slaton got Bruce Bochte to ground into a double play with one out and runners at first and third.

Slaton had two outs and a runner at first in the fourth when Dwayne Murphy hit a sinking line drive that was curling away from Beniquez when he made a diving, run-saving catch.

Beniquez, replacing center fielder Gary Pettis who has lower back stiffness, had tied the game at 1-1 in the third when he hit his second homer in two days.

DeCinces, who has hit in seven straight games and driven in 11 runs in the last six games, put the Angels ahead with his second homer of the season in the fourth.

An infield single by Beniquez, who now has a career batting average of .436 against Oakland, a Ruppert Jones sacrifice and a two-out single by DeCinces made it 3-1 in the fifth. Sutton left in the seventh, having helped nullify a yield of seven walks and eight hits by striking out seven.

The Angels put it away on the Jackson and Grich hits in the eighth, which opened with Rod Carew’s second single and included three more walks by left hander Jeff Kaiser.

It wasn’t the most artistic performance by the A’s, but Mauch cited Heath’s cat-like response to a Jones bunt in the fifth and said he had never seen a better play by a catcher. He also applauded third baseman Carney Lansford’s diving stop of Brian Downing’s bid for an extra base hit with the bases loaded in the sixth.

It helped keep the A’s in the game against Slaton, whose most uncomfortable moment came in the sixth when he chipped a tooth on his chewing gum.

Angel Notes

Rookie Bob Kipper may make his major league starting debut tonight, facing the A’s Chris Codiroli (2-1). Kipper’s assignment depends on the availability of Tommy John (0-1), who developed stiffness on the left side of his neck Friday and has been unable to overcome it, although he threw for 20 minutes on the sideline Sunday. The condition is improving, John said, but he seemed reluctant to start tonight unless he is 100%. “I asked (Dr.) Lew Yocum about it,” John said, “and he said that if I can’t get my arm up where it’s supposed to be, then it may create other problems.” . . . Center fielder Gary Pettis was sidelined Monday by the lower back stiffness that forced him out of Sunday’s game in the fifth inning. Pettis told Manager Gene Mauch that there was no improvement. He may be held out of the A’s series on a precautionary basis. . . . Ken Forsch continued to move toward a May 1 return from the disabled list, throwing a three inning simulated game without pain in his elbow. He’ll pitch a five inning simulated game Friday. “Forsch was outstanding,” Mauch said. “If he’s still this good five or six days from now he’ll be ready to go. He threw 85, 86, 87 (m.p.h.) and sustained it. His control was much better than it has a right to be (considering Forsch’s layoff).”