McCaskill Plays the 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 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.

“It’s good to be home,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “After those five days, it’s good to be anywhere.”

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 off the Twins 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.

Said Downing: “Kirk McCaskill was the right man for us. We needed the right guy to come forward and he did it.”

McCaskill said he feels much more comfortable on the pitching mound than in front of the television cameras.

“At least I’m in my element here,” he said. “I don’t even want to think about (the acting). Now, they’ve even given us three lines.”

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.

“It’s good to be home,” Mauch said. “After thos five days, it’s good to be anywhere.”

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. He added an eighth-inning single off reliever Pete Filson.

McCaskill came painfully close to his fourth complete game of the season, but admitted he was ready to come out after walking Smalley in the ninth.

“I was done,” he said. “I was hoping I could finish it, but at least Donnie got a save and now he can get a haircut.”

Save and a haircut?

Moore: “I made a bet with a guy that I wouldn’t get my next haircut until I got 20 saves. I was hoping it would come before the strike deadline.”

As has been his practice, Mauch didn’t hesitate to go to Moore. But he did enjoy the McCaskill show while it lasted.

“The guy goes out there three out of four times and gives you the chance to win,” he said. “He had equally as good of stuff or better tonight than he had in his shutout against Milwaukee (two weeks ago).”

The Angels gave McCaskill a little more room to work in the ninth by scoring a run in the bottom of the eighth. Carew led off with a single to left and went to third on a single by Downing. He was thrown out at home, however, when he tried to score on Reggie Jackson’s ground ball to second. Downing took second on the play, and scored when Ruppert Jones, who hit .351 (26 for 74) with six home runs in July, singled sharply to right.

The All-Time Hit List

Player Hits Ty Cobb 4,191 Pete Rose 4,167 Henry Aaron 3,771 Stan Musial 3,630 Tris Speaker 3,515 Honus Wagner 3,430 Carl Yastrzemski 3,419 Eddie Collins 3,309 Willie Mays 3,283 Nap Lajoie 3,252 Paul Waner 3,152 Cap Anson 3,081 Lou Brock 3,023 Al Kaline 3,007 Roberto Clemente 3,000 Rod Carew 2,998

Note: The Angels’ Rod Carew is 16th on the all-time list in his attempt to reach 3,000 hits.