Without Alexander, It’s Great Day for Angels, 8-2

As they reached the midway point of their 10th season of major league existence, the Toronto Blue Jays figured they were finally old enough to have old-timers. So Sunday, they threw a day for them--played a game and everything--and brought back some of the sterling names from those halcyon days of 1977: Sam Ewing, Otto Velez, Dave Lemanczyk, Doug Ault, Mike Willis and Hector Torres.

They even brought back Bobby Cox, who never played for the Blue Jays but managed them to their first divisional championship last year. Ostensibly, this was to be a weekend of fun, but Cox, currently the general manager of the Atlanta Braves, found time to mix in a little business with his pleasure.

Cox left Toronto with a couple of Canadian souvenirs--pitchers Doyle Alexander and Jim Acker. It cost him two right-handed pitchers--Jim Acker and Joey Johnson.

By trading for Alexander, Cox took Toronto’s scheduled starting pitcher out of the rotation and set in motion a domino effect that would culminate in an 8-2 Angel victory before a crowd of 36,197.

You could call this one Bobby Cox’s Revenge.

Without Alexander, who is 10-3 lifetime against the Angels, Toronto had to scramble to find a one-day fill-in. Manager Jimy Williams settled upon Dennis Lamp, a reliever with a 5.96 earned-run average who had started one game since 1984.

And Lamp went 4 innings before giving way to Mark Eichhorn, who gave way to Bill Caudill, who gave way to Stan Clarke, who was recalled from Syracuse to fill Alexander’s roster spot.

By the time the Angels were through with them, they had eight runs on 13 hits, including a three-run home run by Bobby Grich, and left Toronto with their second series victory of 1986.

Basking in this wealth of support was Angel starter Kirk McCaskill, who had a six-hit complete game victory. He struck out nine as he improved his record to 9-5.

But the first good piece of news to reach Angel Manager Gene Mauch Sunday came about five hours before game time. It was then, while he was climbing into a taxi, that bullpen coach Bob Clear informed Mauch of the Blue Jays’ trade of Alexander.

“Yeah, I thought it was a break for us, to be honest,” Mauch said. “Alexander has always been pretty tough on us. . . . We’ve hit Alexander in the past, but we don’t often beat him.”

The Angels beat up on his successors. Lamp allowed one run in the second inning and another in the fifth by surrendering the first of three consecutive doubles by the Angels.

Ruppert Jones had the first, which prompted Williams to fire up the bullpen shuttle and bring in Eichhorn. Eichhorn served up back-to-back doubles to Gary Pettis and Wally Joyner and the Angels had a 3-0 lead.

They added five runs in the ninth off Clarke, who began his first major league appearance of 1986 by yielding a bunt single to Jones and then sending him to third on back-to-back balks. Later, Pettis had an RBI single, Reggie Jackson had an RBI double and Grich had a three-run home run.

Yes, the Angels got a break. But Mauch suggested his team wasn’t the only one.

“Maybe (Alexander) considered it a break, too,” Mauch said. “He didn’t have to face McCaskill.”

McCaskill, who is 5-1 in his last six starts, including a one-hitter against Texas June 25, continues to match Mike Witt, win-for-win and strikeout-for-strikeout. They share the Angel team lead with nine victories. They are also tied for third in the American League in strikeouts with 112.

For four innings Sunday, McCaskill said he never pitched better. He retired the first 12 Blue Jay hitters in order before walking George Bell and giving up a run-scoring double off the center-field fence to Jesse Barfield in the fifth. Toronto scored its other run when Ernie Whitt tripled to open the ninth inning and came home on a single by Lloyd Moseby.

“Things went so smoothly in the first four innings,” McCaskill said. “I wasn’t sure it would be a no-hitter, but I thought it would be a low-hitter.”

Mauch continues to insist McCaskill is merely pitching to form, despite the fact that such a form produced a 12-12 record and a 4.70 ERA in McCaskill’s rookie season in 1985.

“I expect him to pitch this well,” Mauch said. “Of course, I also expected John Candelaria to be 9-2 at this point.”

McCaskill will remember this as another in a string that could potentially move him into position for a 20-win season. Mauch will remember this one for giving the Angels a 4-2 season record at Toronto, after dropping 5 of 6 at Exhibition Stadium in 1985.

Grich will remember it for something else. Grich’s home run in the ninth inning was his 23rd lifetime against Toronto, ranking him second behind Boston’s Jim Rice, who has hit 27 against the Blue Jays.

“Very possibly, this could be my last game in this place,” said Grich, who has talked of retirement after this season. “I went to the plate looking for a fastball and planning just to whale away.

“What is it that they say--’Make a good first impression and leave ‘em with a good goodby?’ This is a thrill. A good memory.”

At least for Grich. As for the Blue Jays, they can hardly wait to bring him back for their next old-timers day.

Angel Notes

Gary Pettis and Rob Wilfong combined for four hits and two RBIs, but suffered minor injuries along the way. A close play at the plate in the ninth inning left Pettis with a small gash on his jaw after Garth Iorg’s throw home bounced off the turf and caught Pettis on the face. Wilfong pulled a hamstring in the eighth inning while running to second on a pitch that Dick Schofield fouled off. Pettis stayed in the game but Wilfong was replaced by Bobby Grich. “I have no idea how serious it is,” Wilfong said. “I’ve never pulled a muscle before. But it still hurts.” Wilfong laughed. “What’s the big deal if I’m out of the lineup,” he joked. “I’m surprised anyone even noticed.” . . . Grich noticed. He hoped to return to the starting lineup Sunday, especially with Doyle Alexander scheduled to pitch for Toronto. “I’ve probably hit .300 against him over the years,” Grich said. But after the trade, Dennis Lamp was on the mound and Wilfong was back in the batting order. When Wilfong limped out of the game, he turned to his replacement and said “Go deep, Grich.” Given his opportunity, Grich took advantage. . . . Add Grich: He also ranks among the all-time home-run leaders against Seattle, which entered the league along with Toronto in 1977. Looks like he fattened up against those pitching staffs of the early expansion years. “Sure, that had some effect,” Grich said. “They say that’s the same reason Roger Maris had 61 homers in ’61. That was also an expansion year. But everybody had the same chance, didn’t they?”

All-Star voting ended Sunday and reporters were crowding around Wally Joyner, asking him about the probability of becoming the first rookie to be voted by the fans into the starting lineup. “I don’t know why people like me so much,” Joyner said. “They don’t know me.” Just then, a Toronto reporter proved Joyner’s point. Mistaking him for the Angels’ winning pitcher, the interviewer stuck a microphone in front of Joyner and asked, “How does it feel to be 9-5, Kirk?.” . . . Gene Mauch on winning two of three from Toronto, after getting swept four straight here in 1985: “They wiped us out last year. They put a size-4 broom on us. And then we went to Oakland and lost another. I place special significance on taking two of three here.”

Angel announcer Ron Fairly, who led the Blue Jays in home runs during their inaugural season, made an appearance in Sunday’s old-timers game. He didn’t especially enjoy renewing acquaintances with Gaylord Perry. “Gaylord threw me six spitters and then came in with a curveball on a 3-and-0 count,” Fairly complained. “I told him, ‘Gaylord, that isn’t Babe Ruth you’re facing. This is an old-timers game. These don’t count. Your career’s over. Done.’ ”