Angels Sandwiched at Seattle, 11-4 : Between Doubleheaders, Their Lead Is Cut to Two Games

Tuesday night’s game was sandwiched between a doubleheader Monday night and another doubleheader beginning at 12:35 today.

“This is like having a night off,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said before Tuesday night’s first pitch.

Indeed. From every aspect, the Angels took it off, particularly the aspect of starting pitching.

Ron Romanick, who allowed six hits and four runs in three innings at Minnesota last Thursday, was hammered for 12 hits and 10 runs in 3 innings this time in an 11-4 loss to Seattle.

The Mariners scored three runs in the first, three in the third and four in the fourth, when Al Holland was mercifully summoned.

Romanick would have fared better had the Angels been quick enough to cope with the slick synthetic surface here, but three key Seattle hits slithered off the gloves of Angel infielders. The final two runs charged to Romanick scored when Spike Owen greeted Holland with a long drive that center fielder Gary Pettis failed to pursue with his usual flair, the ball falling behind him for a double.

Of more importance, the Angel lead over Kansas City in the American League West fell to two games as Romanick’s earned run-average, 3.02 before the start in Minnesota, soared to 3.71. The player representative of the Angels is now 0-2 since the strike ended and is 13-6 overall.

Mariner left-hander Mark Langston (6-9), who had 17 wins and led the league in strikeouts as a 1984 rookie but who is battling back from an elbow irritation that recently put him on the disabled list for six weeks, did an effective job of scattering 10 Angel hits.

Three of those were collected by Brian Downing, who singled twice and hit his 13th homer, extending his career-high hitting streak to 15 games. Downing has improved his average from .194 on June 21 to .269.

Third baseman Jack Howell, who was recalled from Edmonton Monday and hit a two-run homer in Monday night’s first game, had a double and single in this one, while George Hendrick, now 2 for 12 as an Angel, singled home the first of the four solo runs off Langston, then homered in the ninth.

It was too little too late. This was one of the few times this season that the Angels were buried early.

Mauch, reflected on Romanick’s performance, shook his head and said: “I’ve never seen so many balls not quite caught. The Mariners are tough in this park, and Ronnie wasn’t at his best--either skillwise or luckwise.”

A first-inning grounder hit by Al Cowens was slowed but not stopped by a diving Bobby Grich, the ball carrying into right field for a two-run single. A third-inning grounder hit by Jack Perconte was ticked by first baseman Juan Beniquez but continued into right field for a two-run single. A fourth-inning grounder hit by Bob Kearney was also slowed but not stopped by a diving Dick Schofield, the ball carrying into left field for an RBI single.

“Everything’s a little faster on the carpet,” Romanick said. “You’ve got to hope the ball are hit right at someone. You can’t afford left or right. I tried to adjust, but it didn’t work.”

Romanick gave up 10 singles and two doubles. It was his first career start at the Kingdome, and a number of his friends and relatives motored over from nearby Bellevue, his hometown.

“I’m hopeful they won’t boo me when I walk out the door,” Romanick said in the clubhouse after the game.

Mauch said the hometown aspect may have added to Romanick’s anxiety, prompting him to leave too many pitches too high. The manager, in assessing Romanick’s last two starts, also cited the synthetic surfaces of Minnesota and Seattle; the possibility that Romanick’s involvement as player representative before and during the strike disrupted his concentration, and the sudden appearance of some minor mechanical problems.

“Physically,” Romanick said, “I’m fine. I simply have to make some adjustments. I got here using my brains, and that’s how I’ll stay here. I’ve had a pretty good year, and I’m not going to let a couple of games destroy me. It’s not as if I’m getting bombed. I’m giving up mostly singles.”

Successor Holland, saving the bullpen for today’s doubleheader, gave up only two hits in 4 innings. An eighth-inning homer by Alvin Davis represented the only run Holland has allowed in his three appearances with the Angels, whose bus left the Kingdome at 11 p.m. They were scheduled to return in 11 hours.

Angel Notes

Rod Carew confirmed that the April 28 incident in which he was hit on the elbow by an Ed Vande Berg pitch here was still on his mind when he drew a fourth-inning walk (a couple of the pitches were up and in) off Vande Berg in Monday night’s second game, then moved toward the mound, initiating a near free-for-all. “He hit me, hurt me and smiled about it,” Carew said of the April incident. “He threw a couple more I didn’t like last night, and I told him about it when I got to first base. He said, ‘Why don’t you come over here,’ so I called time and tried to oblige. I’m not going to be intimidated.” . . . The suspicion here is that Seattle pitching coach Phil Regan will be fined and/or suspended for physically attempting to go after plate umpire Derryl Cousins, whom he reportedly called “gutless” for failing to eject Carew. . . . Of his 521st home run, which he hit in the first inning of Monday night’s first game to tie Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for eighth place on the all-time list, Reggie Jackson said: “It’s a little more special than the others. Teddy Ballgame. The greatest hitter who ever lived, some say. If he isn’t, he’s in the argument. It doesn’t make me the biggest stud, but it at least puts me in the same corral.” . . . Manager Gene Mauch said the 6-5 first game loss was his toughest of the year. “One of the biggest breaks I’ve had,” he said, “was getting to play another game right away. I’d have otherwise had to live with that damn thing all night.” . . . Geoff Zahn (2-1) and Kirk McCaskill (8-7) oppose the Mariners’ Mike Moore (10-7) and Jim Beattie (4-5) in today’s doubleheader.