Moore Isn’t Around to Break the Fall: Angels Lose,4-1

On the Gene Mauch Fun Scale, there have been better days than the one that landed in his lap Wednesday.

First came news that reliever Donnie Moore, who chipped in a club-record 31 saves last season, was lost until at least June 9, because of a troublesome right shoulder. Moore was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to last Saturday, which now gives the Angels the distinction of now having three rookie relievers in the bullpen.

Later that evening, Mauch received another unwelcome jolt, this one a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Anaheim Stadium in front of an audience of 30,321.

Former local hero Dan Petry held the Angels to just five singles through eight innings. This is the same Dan Petry who lost, 11-1, to the Angels on May 16. And Eric King, who is from Oxnard, earned his first major league save by avoiding trouble in the ninth inning.

Angel starter Jim Slaton (4-4) wasn’t so lucky.

The Angels did what they could to help Slaton, but it wasn’t nearly enough. They scored a run in the first, but then went quietly for the next eight innings.

Gary Pettis began the Angels’ first with a bunt single, only his third of the season, and followed with a stolen base, only his eighth of the year. Wally Joyner was next and he moved Pettis to third with a ground out to first. Brian Downing singled to right, which was good enough to give the Angels a 1-0 lead and Downing his 25th RBI of the season. The rally ended soon thereafter as Reggie Jackson flied to left and Downing, not known for his speed, was thrown out trying to steal second.

The one run was enough until the third inning, when the Tigers scored twice thanks to two walks and two singles. Shortstop Tom Brookens began the inning with a walk, and two outs later moved to second on another Slaton walk, this time to Darrell Evans. Lance Parrish singled to center to score Brookens and Harry Spilman followed with another single, also to center, that scored Evans. Darnell Coles ended the inning with a fly ball to right.

Two innings later, the Tigers were at it again, this time using singles by Lou Whitaker and Dave Collins to test Slaton. But this time Slaton squirmed out of trouble. With Whitaker on third and Collins on second, Slaton got Evans to ground out and registered his only strikeout of the evening against Parrish. He walked Spilman to load the bases, but escaped harm when Coles grounded to Doug DeCinces, forcing Whitaker at third base.

Slaton wasn’t so fortunate in the sixth as Larry Herndon hit a one-out double to right and later scored on a two-out single by Whitaker. That was that. Mauch pulled Slaton, who had thrown 122 pitches, in favor of Terry Forster. Forster got the third out, but an inning later he, too, was gone after experiencing tightness in his left shoulder.

By then, the Tigers had scored another run for 4-1 lead. Forster struck out Evans to begin the seventh inning, but then allowed a Parrish triple, his first of the season (which matches his triple output for 1985). Spilman was replaced by pinch-hitter Brian Harper, who promptly hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Parrish.

Angel Notes

Now that reliever Donnie Moore is on the disabled list until at least June 9, thoughts turn to his set-up man of 1985, Stewart Cliburn, who was sent to Edmonton before the beginning of the season to rehabilitate a sore right shoulder. The news is not particularly encouraging. Cliburn threw “very, very well twice last week,” said General Manager Mike Port, but he later experienced pain and isn’t close to a return to the Angels. “We just can not seem to get over the crest of the hill on the problem,” Port said. . . . Pitcher Urbano Lugo is scheduled to start tonight and Tuesday for the Angels’ Midland farm team. He’s recovering from elbow surgery. Additional injury updates: reliever Gary Lucas is status quo. At times, his back is free of pain after throwing; other times, it isn’t. John Candelaria (elbow) is “right on schedule,” Port said, though he added that Candelaria also has experienced some tenderness in the elbow area. “That’s just from over-enthusiasm,” Port said. . . . Strange timing: Moore and Candelaria received their 1985 Rolaids Relief Man of the Year awards Wednesday evening. Both players, of course, are on the disabled list. . . . Tiger outfielder Kirk Gibson, who is recuperating from a sprained ligament in his left ankle, took batting practice Wednesday and continues to impress Manager Sparky Anderson. “Gibson ran the bases excellent today,” Anderson said. “He wants to play. I’m trying to show some patience, but he went from first to third three times for me and he ran very well.” Gibson is available for pinch-hitting duties and is expected back for the Tigers’ series against the Seattle Mariners on Friday. Could he make his debut today against the Angels? “I won’t say no,” Anderson said. . . . Anderson told the Detroit Free Press this week that if he had his choice, he might take Oakland A’s rookie Jose Canseco over Angel rookie Wally Joyner. “They’re both really something,” he said. “But Canseco is only 21 (Joyner is 23). Give him two more years to learn his way around and he’s going to be tremendous.” . . . Don Sutton (2-4) faces the Tigers’ Dave LaPoint (1-3) tonight.