Angels Have Another Forgettable Night

The Angels won’t soon forget Thursday evening’s 7-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Anaheim Stadium, though they might want to give it a hardy try or two, or three.

They were subjected to five innings of no-hit pitching by Tiger starter Dave LaPoint, who entered the game with a 1-3 record and a 4.42 earned-run average. He left with his second victory of the season, both against the Angels, and the Tigers departed with their fifth consecutive win.

Meanwhile, the Angels lost for the seventh time in eight games and continued a seasonlong trend of futility against left-handers. Thursday evening’s defeat by LaPoint gave the Angels a 3-12 record against left-handed starters.

And as if they needed more news like this, the Angels are scheduled to face two left-handed starters in their three-game series against the streaking Baltimore Orioles (9-2 in their last 11 games). The Orioles even moved left-hander Scott McGregor’s turn up one day so he can pitch against the Angels.

“I understand the reasons behind it,” Manager Gene Mauch said. “They want to slow down the first baseman (Wally Joyner) and keep Reggie out of action for the most part. If (Doug) DeCinces and (Bob) Boone were hitting .300 versus lefties, that would all change.”

They aren’t, of course. Boone is hitting .235 against left-handers, while DeCinces is hitting .216. DeCinces also is mired in a 6-for-44 batting slump that has caused his overall average to dip to .221 and his tolerance level to dip with it.

A called third strike in the seventh inning with runners on first and second and the Angels behind, 6-4, sent DeCinces into a shouting match with plate umpire Dale Scott. Scott ejected DeCinces.

Angel starter Don Sutton (2-5) also left early, but at least, he didn’t need Scott’s assistance. Sutton made it to the sixth inning before he was pulled. He hasn’t won a game in nearly three weeks, which isn’t good news for a team that needs solid starting pitching to help a suspect bullpen weakened by the addition of reliever Donnie Moore to the disabled list.

There were some bright moments, however infrequent.

Gary Pettis ended LaPoint’s no-hitter with an infield single in the top of the sixth. And Dick Schofield hit a grand slam in the seventh that cut the Tigers’ lead to 6-4. But it wasn’t enough.

The Angels find themselves with a 22-24 record, which pushes them further down into the mess that is the AL West.

LaPoint couldn’t figure it, however. He said: “Every time you play the Angels, it’s like you’re playing against six Hall of Famers and three trying to make it.”

Sutton wasn’t around long enough to view Pettis’ hit. He left in the sixth inning with two outs and two Tiger runners on base. His last official act on the mound was to hand Chuck Finley the ball, a gesture the rookie reliever will remember since it was his first major league appearance.

Finley began his career by walking Lou Whitaker but then, after repeated visits by catcher Bob Boone, was able to get Dave Collins to fly out to Pettis in center and end the inning.

By then, Sutton had retired to the locker room, where his rocking chair and shower awaited. Sutton often sips a glass of wine or a bottle of beer after either a victory or a defeat. But these days, he may soon discover that a fifth of bourbon or perhaps a pitcher of martinis would be more appropriate.

Sutton last won a game May 12, a 7-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Since that day, he has lasted 1 innings and 5 innings, which translates into 0-2, a 10.29 earned-run average and 15 hits, three of them homers. Of the 37 runs Sutton has allowed this season, 21 have been the result of home runs.

His latest defeat wasn’t entirely his fault. He had plenty of assistance for career loss No. 231. Among the sights:

--Pettis just missing a sinking line drive in the first inning that allowed Dave Collins to reach second base with a double and later score on an RBI double by Lance Parrish. That gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, Pettis lost Larry Herndon’s fly ball in the lights and sky. It was ruled a double.

--A potential double-play ground ball in the fourth inning that instead turned into two more Tiger runs, which went nicely with a third-inning homer by Whitaker. With one out and the bases loaded, Sutton got Tom Brookens to ground to shortstop Schofield, who threw to second to force Herndon. But Bobby Grich’s throw to first was wild, scoring Harry Spilman and Darnell Coles, who had both singled.

Then came two more Tiger runs in the seventh inning, both off Finley. That made the score 6-0, courtesy of an RBI double by Brian Harper that scored Parrish and an RBI single by Coles that scored Harper.

The Angels made it interesting in the seventh. Hendrick reached first on an infield single, giving him 1,800 hits for his career. Grich walked, and Rick Burleson singled to load the bases. Schofield sent a 3-and-1 pitch from LaPoint over the right-center-field wall for his fifth homer of the season.

“I’m just trying to throw a strike,” LaPoint said. “The pitch wasn’t where I wanted it. If he takes it, it’s ball four, but he hits it 400 feet to the opposite field.”

And just when it seemed the Angels were back in the game, they wasted a leadoff double by Hendrick and a walk by Burleson in the eighth. Then, Parrish homered in the ninth off another rookie reliever, Todd Fischer, to seal the Tiger win.

Angel Notes

Reliever Terry Forster said his left shoulder is fine. On Wednesday evening, Forster was forced to leave the game because of stiffness in his throwing shoulder. “It just gets a little tired,” he said. “But it’s OK.” With Donnie Moore on the disabled list, Forster finds himself, along with Doug Corbett, as the most likely late-inning bullpen choices of Manager Gene Mauch. “I want the ball anytime I can get it,” he said. “Of course, you want it late, the game on the line. That’s when I pitch my best. But I’m not the manager.” If he were the manager, Forster said, he wouldn’t change a thing. “(Mauch’s) been using me perfectly.” As for the Angel bullpen, which also includes three rookies, Forster was optimistic. “The bullpen will be all right,” he said. “That’s when the other guys have to pull together and pick up the slack. That’s what wins you pennants. I’m very confident in our bullpen. I know we’re going to do it.” And Forster, on the Angel pennant chances: “What are we, 1 1/2, 2 games out of first? We haven’t been playing that well the last couple of weeks and that tells me that we have a chance to win this by 15 games. I like this team. Get Donnie back 100%, Candy (John Candelaria), (Gary) Lucas going and we’ve got a great chance to win it, great chance. Now’s the time we’ve got to do it. And the bullpen’s got to do it, too.” . . . Urbano Lugo, who is with the Angel minor league team in Midland to rehabilitate his elbow, can’t seem to get any work done. For the second consecutive start, unnatural and natural forces have conspired against him. Last Monday’s start was short-lived because of a power failure at the stadium. Thursday evening, it rained. Lugo did manage to get two innings’ worth of work (one run, 35 pitches) before the game was canceled.