Candelaria Shutout Moves Angels Back Into First-Place Tie

Gene Mauch played Little Ball in the third inning Thursday night. It was a concession to Tom Seaver, an admission that he didn’t expect the Angels to score many runs against the winner of 301 games.

It was also a vote of confidence in his own pitcher, an obvious illustration of the belief that he didn’t expect John Candelaria would need many runs.

Candelaria didn’t.

He preserved the run that stemmed from a bunt single, stolen base, sacrifice bunt and fly-out through six innings.

Then he appreciatively watched Reggie Jackson play Big Ball, slamming his 25th and 26th home runs en route to an 8-0 victory over Chicago, the sixth win for Candelaria in seven decisions with the Angels.

The second success in three games here, combined with Seattle’s completion of a stunning four-game sweep in Kansas City, lifted the Angels back into a first-place tie with the Royals in the American League West.

The Angels were about to board a bus for the trip to O’Hare Airport when they heard of the Seattle victory via the clubhouse TV. A loud cheer went up.

Manager Gene Mauch reflected on the Angels’ status when they arrived in Chicago, then said:

“Being even beats the hell out of being two behind. How sweet it is.

“If you keep grinding and doing it right, good things are going to happen.”

The Angels open their final homestand tonight. Three games against Cleveland, then three against Chicago.

It wouldn’t have been a surprise if Candelaria had elected to skip the plane and ride his natural high to California.

In allowing only six hits while striking out six and walking just two, he achieved his first complete game since July 29 of last year, his first complete-game victory since July 19 and his first shutout since July 3 of ‘84, when he pitched the Pirates to a 6-0 victory in Los Angeles.

“I’m not downplaying it,” Candelaria said. “I’d like to have a shutout every time out. But the best part about it is that it gave the guys in the bullpen a night off.

“I was tired, but I’m sure Gene (Mauch) was thinking it would be nice if I could get the shutout and nice if the bullpen got the night off. It turned out nicely both ways.”

After pitching strictly in relief for the Pirates this season, Candelaria has had to rebuild his stamina under game conditions. He had made nine previous starts with the Angels, pitching more than six innings only once--a 7-1 win over Kansas City in which he went eight.

He delivered 119 pitches against Chicago and was asked if, after his Aug. 2 acquisition by the Angels, he could have anticipated achieving the endurance necessary to throw a complete game by the end of the season.

“I wasn’t sure,” he said. “It had been a long time. Throwing every day (as a reliever for the Pirates) had taken its toll. I felt that if I could go six or seven innings every time, I’d be doing my job.

“I mean, I really haven’t been a complete-game pitcher since hurting my back in my first couple years in Pittsburgh (he completed 45 of 271 starts for the Pirates). Besides, the way the game is structured now, you go as hard as you can for as long as you can, then give it to the bullpen. We have two of the best relief pitchers in baseball (Donnie Moore and Stewart Cliburn). I’m just happy to be helping out.”

Said Mauch: “Maybe the shutout didn’t mean as much to him as I thought it would, but I really wanted him to get it. We know now he’s physically able to throw 120 pitches. He has a remarkable arm. Even when his body is a little tired, his arm just keeps going.”

Candelaria has won four straight decisions and allowed just four runs in the 33 innings of his last five starts. He and Don Sutton are a combined 8-1, and the Angels are 9-3 in games they have started.

Sutton got nine runs Wednesday night, and Candelaria eight more.

Said Jackson: “Yes, we scored a lot of runs, but we also had two guys pitch like hell. It makes it a lot easier. You’re not pressing to drive in a run. You’re a lot more relaxed leading Tom Seaver, 4-0, then losing to him, 4-0.”

It was 4-0 when Jackson went the other way against Dave Wehrmeister, driving a two-run homer into the left-field bleachers in the eighth. Bob Boone followed with his fifth homer, then Jackson connected again in the ninth against Edwin Correa, making his second big league appearance. This one, a solo shot to right, gave Jackson a career total of 529, five behind Jimmie Foxx, who is seventh on the all-time list. Jackson’s 26 homers are one more than he hit last year. His 81 RBIs match his 1984 total.

Seaver, who was 3-1 against the Angels and 13-10 this season, left in the seventh when an inning-opening error by third baseman Tim Hulett led to three unearned runs. Consecutive two-out singles by Ruppert Jones, Daryl Sconiers and Bobby Grich drove them in.

The only run Candelaria had before then came in the third when Gary Pettis pushed a bunt past a charging Hulett, stole second, moved to third on a Jones sacrifice and scored on Sconiers’ fly to center.

Of his decision to take what he could and play for that one run, Mauch said: “It was a combination of the fact that we got only two hits off Seaver the last time and had a guy pitching for us who has been going great.”

And still is.

Angel Notes

Although the Angels have only 16 games left, General Manager Mike Port may not be through dealing. He’s looking for a left-handed relief pitcher, which comes in the wake of Manager Gene Mauch’s admitted concern over Al Holland’s work against left-handed hitters. “If he can find a left-hander who can help us,” Mauch said of Port, “he’d do it (make a trade) in a minute.” What are the chances? “It doesn’t sound likely,” Mauch said, “but it’s possible.” . . . Mauch ruled out the acquisition of a hitter. “That’s here,” he said of the offense. “We just have to bring it out.” . . . John Candelaria has a 20-10 career record in September. “I like the situation,” he said. “You tend to separate the men from the boys. That’s not to say I can’t get ripped, but this is when it’s fun. This is what you play for.” . . . Candelaria reflected on his young son, John Jr., who has been in a coma since falling into the family swimming pool on Christmas Day. “I have enough pressure at home,” he said. “Baseball is my relese.” . . . Gary Pettis went 3 for 5 and is hitting .394 in September (26 for 66).