Right Off, Indians Give Angels the ‘Works, 11-4

The keepers of Municipal Stadium are pyrotechnics buffs. A simple announcement of the Indian lineup triggers a fireworks show worthy of Independence Day. If a fan snags a foul ball, you half expect the contrails to begin rising from the fireworks machine located in the center-field bleachers.

In Cleveland, they don’t need much of an excuse for a celebration. Past Indian seasons have seen to that.

But Sunday was different. This time they could light the fuses with clean consciences as Angel pitching, or the absence of it, provided the Indians with an 11-4 victory in front of an audience of 10,109.

Two homers by Indian third baseman Brook Jacoby, another homer by Mel Hall and a 4-for-4, two-RBI day by designated hitter Andre Thornton kept the rocket launchers occupied. Smoke and ka-booms filtered through the rafters of the aging stadium all afternoon.

“After a while, you hate to hear them,” said center fielder Gary Pettis. “You hear fireworks and you know (the Indians) are doing something.”

Jim Slaton, now 4-5, was spared six runs’ worth of noise. He started the game for the Angels, but he didn’t finish it. Actually, he didn’t finish the first inning.

“I stunk, no excuses or nothing,” he said. “I was just terrible.”

Slaton, who has been pressed into the starting rotation because of John Candelaria’s elbow injury at the beginning of the season, lasted one-third of an inning. During his stay, he allowed five runs on three hits and two walks. A three-run homer by Jacoby did most of the damage, although Joe Carter and Thornton each contributed RBI hits--Carter a triple and Thornton a single. Carter now has a 21-game hitting streak, longest in the majors.

There may have been worse outings in Slaton’s 16 seasons, but he was having a hard time recalling one. “I’m sure I have before in my career, but I can’t remember when,” he said. “It’s probably something I didn’t want to remember.”

Rookie T. R. Bryden replaced Slaton in the first and appeared able enough. He finished the first inning, cruised through the second and allowed a run in the third when outfielder Carmen Castillo singled, stole second and moved to third on wild pitch that was supposed to be a pitchout. He scored on an Andy Allanson sacrifice fly to center that gave the Indians a 6-0 lead.

Then came the fourth, an inning in which Bryden allowed three more runs on two hits, including Hall’s eighth homer of the season. Bryden was gone by the fifth inning. “I made some real stupid pitches today,” he said.

Cleveland starter Neal Heaton, who began the day with an unattractive 4.58 earned-run average and a 2-5 record, held the Angels to seven hits, three of them home runs. Ruppert Jones hit his in the fifth inning, his third of the year, while Dick Schofield and Doug DeCinces waited until the eighth inning for their homers, sixth and sixth of the season, respectively.

DeCinces’ home run came with Pettis on base and cut the lead to 9-4. Scott Bailes relieved Heaton in the ninth after George Hendrick singled to begin the inning. By then, the Indians had scored two more runs, this time off rookie Todd Fischer, who had relieved Bryden. A homer by Jacoby and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Fran Mullins that scored Castillo from third accounted for the runs.

Hendrick started the day in right field, but moved to first base when Wally Joyner experienced stomach cramps and left the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jones took Hendrick’s place.

Joyner is expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Chicago White Sox.

Rookie Chuck Finley pitched the final 1 innings for the Angels.

“You don’t need any help writing about a messy game like that,” Manager Gene Mauch said. “Obviously, Slaton wasn’t at his best.”

Mauch had repeated some of Saturday’s work by keeping Joyner in the No. 6 spot in the lineup and Pettis in the No. 2 position. Jack Howell remained on the bench, while DeCinces played and Rick Burleson became the designated hitter against the left-handed Heaton.

But Mauch couldn’t do much for his pitching staff, which continues to struggle, especially in the bullpen. The Angels (27-28) have now lost 11 of their last 17 games. The team ERA has suffered with the losses, climbing to 4.85, compared to a 3.74 ERA a year ago.

Angel pitching provided Jacoby with his first two-homer day of his career and allowed him to tie his best day for RBIs. And Thornton can thank the Angels for helping to improve his average 21 points (from .199 to .220) since the beginning of the three-game series.

“We’ve shown a strange ability to get guys who are hitting .190, .210 . . . shown a remarkable ability to get them going,” Mauch said.

The White Sox should be pleased. Outfielder Ron Kittle began Sunday with a .191 batting average.

Angel Notes

Rookie Wally Joyner might want to forget about his Sunday in Cleveland. First, he opened up the morning newspaper and found a column by Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Bob Dolgan. On Saturday, Dolgan had approached Joyner for an interview. Joyner said he couldn’t. Dolgan took exception. Wrote Dolgan: “The new godling has been advertised as an All-American boy who eats peaches and cream, bathes in momma’s milk and is as polite as Jack Armstrong. That is all malarkey. Off his behavior yesterday, he is just another spoiled ballplayer.” Later: “Joyner will learn. In a few years he’ll be out of baseball, forgotten, and hoping that some writer will have enough interest to interview him.” Dolgan referred to Joyner as a “baby-faced brat.”

Joyner took exception. “It’s too bad it happened,” he said. “It’s a two-sided story. I came in from the outfield to hit with the third group. I was at the bat rack and had my helmet on when the gentleman came in and said, ‘Mr. Joyner, I’d like to have an interview with you.’ He said, ‘Can I have an interview with you,’ and I said no. I guess it was my fault for not explainning why. I guess he got upset because I said no. I told him I did my interviews yesterday (Friday) and he said, ‘So what, you’re on a one-day interview basis?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And then he mumbled something under his breath. Then I asked him, ‘What do you think, your interview is the most important thing for me to do?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘That’s why you’re in Cleveland.’ ” Joyner, who was mildly upset about the incident, as well as apologetic, said, “I’m sorry it happened, but there’s nothing we can do about it.” Of course, the rest of the Angels were sympathetic. Said reliever Terry Forster: “Joyner the jerk, the wonderful, wonderful jerk.” To complete the day, Joyner was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with stomach cramps.

Reliever Donnie Moore tossed the ball lightly on the sidelines for about eight minutes Sunday. It was the first time he’s thrown and tested his injured right shoulder since May 24, when he gave up three runs and five hits in 2 innings against the New York Yankees. . . . Pitcher John Candelaria said he has experienced no pain since throwing breaking balls on the sideline Friday. He will throw again today in Chicago.