Facing Angels Is Heaven to Blyleven : He Pitches Three-Hitter, Beats Them for 27th Time, 2-0

The Curse of Blyleven not only continued Monday night, but assumed newer, darker dimensions.

Yes, Minnesota’s Bert Blyleven beat the Angels again--for the third time this season, the sixth time since 1984 and the 27th time in his career.

This time, Blyleven pitched a 2-0 shutout in which he limited the Angels to three singles--one a bunt--and allowed only two Angels to advance as far as second base.

It was the 53rd shutout of Blyleven’s career.

Before an Anaheim Stadium crowd of 25,802, Blyleven (12-10) beat the Angels for the second time in six days. Just as he did last Wednesday in Minnesota, Blyleven outpitched Don Sutton (10-9) and received a game-winning home run from Gary Gaetti.

Gaetti’s solo homer in the sixth inning, his 24th home run of the season, was the game’s only run until the top of the ninth, when Tom Brunansky singled off reliever Doug Corbett, took second on a groundout and scored on Billy Beane’s single to left.

Blyleven re-appeared at the Big A with a full growth of beard.

He had adopted the same look in Cleveland in 1985, when he needed to appear intimidating, but he tried the clean-cut approach this season in Minnesota. When he slumped during the first half of the year, Blyleven figured it was time to get really hairy again.

“I grew the beard back because it reminded me of the past couple of years in Cleveland, when I was very successful,” Blyleven said. “I was struggling and felt I needed something. It might be the beard.”

Sutton allowed just six hits in seven innings but wound up a loser. He can only give thanks that he won No. 300 before these recent engagements with Blyleven. Sutton has been stuck on No. 305 since Aug. 1--receiving just two runs’ worth of support in two starts against Blyleven.

“The only positive thing to come out of this night is that we can’t see him again this year,” Sutton said. “Somebody in baseball has got to be killing him for him to have a 4.40 earned-run average and an 11-10 record (before Monday), because we haven’t been denting him.”

If the Angels could ever figure out Blyleven, maybe they could start pulling away from Texas in the American League West. But Blyleven is 27-12 against the Angels, the latest victory slicing California’s lead over the idle Rangers to two games.

The Angels didn’t close to scoring. Brian Downing singled in the second inning and was immediately forced at second by Ruppert Jones. Wally Joyner singled in the fourth and reached second on a walk to Jones, but he strayed too far off second and was picked off by a quick move by Blyleven.

And in the eighth, Rob Wilfong beat out a bunt and took second on a sacrifice. But Blyleven left him there, getting the next two Angel hitters on routine fly outs.

“It’s a damn shame we wasted Don’s pitching,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “Sure, Blyleven’s good. Even the guys who hit him in the past, he got them out with a few new wrinkles.”

That’s the trouble with Blyleven. Not only does he grow a new beard, but he sprouts a few new pitches as well.

New Wrinkle No. 1--a split-fingered fastball. “I made up a split-fingered fastball during the game,” Blyleven said. “I got Wilfong to ground out (in the second inning) on it.

New Wrinkle No. 2--a changeup. “I had thrown it on the sidelines but never had the guts to throw it in a game,” Blyleven said. “But four, five starts ago, I had given up a few home runs, so I decided to give it a try.”

That was the pitch Blyleven threw to pinch-hitter Jack Howell with Wilfong on second base in the eighth. Howell meekly popped it up.

“Howell’s as good a changeup hitter as there is . . . and he got him out,” Mauch said.

Old Blyleven, new Blyleven, it hardly matters to the Angels. They can’t beat any Blyleven.

“He would’ve beaten any team in baseball today,” Downing said. “I don’t know if any of us got a good pitch to hit.”

And Sutton, once again, had a lot of good pitches go for naught.

As Sutton put it: “I pitched just well enough to lose.”

Angel Notes

Wally Joyner appeared as a judge on a taping of “Dance Fever” Sunday night. “I don’t know anything about dancing,” Joyner said, his face reddening. “I had second thoughts about doing it, but it turned out to be a good time. We judged four dance groups. The lowest score I gave was 88, only because one group fell down.” Joyner gave style points for those dancers remaining on their feet. He added that the program’s talent coordinator is considering asking him back, but he admits that he isn’t much of a dancing critic. “Pat Sajak was another judge,” Joyner said. “Most of the time, I just looked at his chart.”

Ailing Twins: Minnesota pitcher Frank Pastore was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right shoulder, his spot of the roster taken by Toledo pitcher Mark Portugal. Outfielder Mickey Hatcher sat out Monday’s game with what is believed to be a case of vertigo. . . . The Angels will retire Rod Carew’s jersey in a 7 p.m. pregame ceremony tonight. American League President Dr. Bobby Brown will participate in the presentation. Carew is the first Angel player to have his uniform number retired.