McCaskill Plays a Leading Role in Angels’ Win

Kirk McCaskill, soap opera star to-be, was called upon Friday night to rescue the Angels from their recent series of heartaches.

When we last joined them, the Angels had lost six of their last seven and were beginning to show signs of a collapse. Tempers were growing short, as was the team’s lead in the American League West.

And, a few hours after the Angels had announced a major change in their cast of characters, it was up to McCaskill to make sure this plot didn’t thicken.

The 24-year-old rookie, who with teammate Ron Romanick will tape a cameo appearence for the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” next Tuesday, responded with Hollywood flare.

McCaskill allowed only two hits and retired 21 straight before turning the spotlight over to savior Donnie Moore as the Angels opened a six-game homestand with a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Twins in front of 30,646 at Anaheim Stadium.

Brian Downing’s two-run homer in the sixth inning, his third in three games, was the difference as McCaskill (7-7) recovered from yielding a first-inning home run to Roy Smalley to hold the Twins at bay until the ninth when, after walking Smalley with two outs, he took a bow. Moore came on to record his 20th save of the season.

Moore gave up a single to Kent Hrbek before getting Tom Brunansky to pop to third baseman Doug DeCinces to end the game and give the Angels a victory in their first home game since before the All-Star break.

As a subplot, Rod Carew went 2 for 3 to move within two hits of the 3,000-hit mark. It now seems likely that Carew will reach the milestone against the Twins, the team he broke into the major leagues with in 1967.

Carew singled in the first inning off Minnesota starter Ken Schrom, who held the Angels scoreless until Downing’s homer in the sixth. He added an eighth-inning single off reliever Pete Filson.