Angels Edge A’s, 5-4, as Jackson Homers; Yankees Are Next

The New York Yankees, having won five straight games and 12 of their last 13 to move within four of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East, are the next challenge to the Angels’ tenuous lead in the West.

The Angels beat the Oakland A’s, 5-4, Monday night, their third win of the four-game series, to drop the A’s six back in the West. The win also preserved the Angels’ 2 1/2-game lead over the Kansas City Royals.

The Yankees open a three-game series at Anaheim Stadium tonight.

A former Yankee associate named Reggie Jackson tuned up for this latest reunion with two key hits as the Angels slowed Don Sutton’s drive toward 300 wins Monday night.

A crowd of 25,154 saw Jackson hammer a two-run homer in the first inning, then single to ignite a three-run fourth.

The towering homer was the 523rd of his career and 20th of the season, the 16th time in 18 major league seasons that Jackson has reached that plateau and the third time in the four seasons since he left the Yankees amid predictions by owner George Steinbrenner that Jackson had only one year left.

Sutton, who had won three straight and nine of his last 10 decisions in climbing to a career total of 292, drew his seventh defeat against 12 wins despite allowing only five hits in a seven-inning stint.

The win, giving the Angels a 26-20 record in games decided by one run, went to Kirk McCaskill, who is 9-3 since his 0-4 start.

McCaskill, who had allowed only 10 hits and three runs in the 25 innings of his last three starts, gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 innings of this one.

He left with that 5-4 lead, and Stewart Cliburn preserved it with another brilliant performance. Cliburn retired the last seven A’s in order and allowed just one hit over the final 3 innings as he gained his fifth save and lowered his earned-run averaged to 1.72.

Jackson set the table.

Now hitting .269, his latest homer came after a two-out walk to Ruppert Jones and soared some 420 feet into the right-center field bleachers. Jackson stood at the plate, admiring the ball’s flight. He later said it is always satisfying to homer off a pitcher destined for the Hall of Fame, but his real excitement stemmed from the impact he had on the three-run fourth.

His single to center opened it. Jack Howell followed with a double that sent Jackson to third. Juan Beniquez then grounded to third baseman Mike Gallego. Jackson broke for the plate. Gallego threw home, but the view of catcher Mike Heath was obstructed by Jackson, who came in standing up.

The ball glanced off Heath’s glove and into foul territory. Jackson’s run extended the Angel lead to 3-1. The error he helped create moved Howell to third and Beniquez to second. Howell scored on a sacrifice fly by Rob Wilfong, while Beniquez scored the run that proved decisive on a single by Dick Schofield.

Said Angel Manager Gene Mauch: “The biggest play Reggie made tonight was getting that big lead and scoring. That led to a couple cheap runs.”

Said Jackson: “If I could pat myself on the back it would be for that play and not the home run. It was instinct. A perfect throw beats me, but I saw the ball take an extra hop (en route to Gallego), and I had a good jump. I was thinking like I was 25, even though I run like what I am, which is almost 40. It makes me proud when the old man can steal a run.”

The Angels did not get another hit after the fourth, but the A’s did not get another chance after the sixth when a succession of four hits, all with two outs, produced three runs and brought on Cliburn to retire Steve Henderson on an infield grounder with the tying run at second.

His save was the 30th for the Angels, who have not had that many since 1980.

McCaskill had been breezing until the sixth, the A’s scoring only in the second when Dave Kingman hit his 24th homer of the season and 401st of his career.

It was a rocket of about 380 feet to left, modest compared to the Jackson hammer.

The latter, however, was more enthused about the 90 feet he covered with his wheels.

Angel Notes Geoff Zahn, who was scheduled to pitch against New York tonight, returned to the 15-day disabled list because of recurring tendinitis in his left shoulder. Urbano Lugo, 2-0 since being sent to Edmonton Aug. 3, will replace Zahn on the roster, but Jim Slaton will take over his starting role. Zahn had missed 85 games because of the shoulder problem and was 0-2 with a 9.94 ERA since his return. “Whatever the problem is,” Manager Gene Mauch said of Zahn, “rest wasn’t the answer.” Mauch implied that surgery may be necessary but said it wouldn’t be done until after the season ends because the plan is to activate Zahn again in September when the 25 player roster limit is lifted. “There may be a situation in which we can pitch him,” Mauch said. . . . The Zahn setback seems to compound the fact that Mike Witt required cortisone Sunday for a similar shoulder problem, but Mauch said: “Mike was throwing all out in the bullpen tonight. He won’t miss a turn.” . . . Mauch was also optimistic about Slaton (5-9), who was removed from the rotation July 22 with a seven-game losing streak. “It looks to me like he has his program back together,” Mauch said. . . . Daryl Sconiers, who has been on the disabled list since July 15 with a strained right wrist, was sent to Edmonton on rehabilitation assignment and will return Sept. 1, when the roster limit is lifted. . . . Doug DeCinces, who missed a second straight start because of back spasms, said he is hopeful of playing tonight. “If I make the same improvement tomorrow that I made today,” he said, “I expect to be able to play.” . . . Bobby Grich was sidelined Monday after receiving a cortisone injection for a cyst on the back of his right hand. He is expected to play tonight.