Lackluster Angels Are in a Slump : A 7-4 Loss to Texas Is Team’s Seventh in Its Last Nine Games

Here is how the Angels, that vaunted juggernaut from the West, will enter the American League Championship Series in Boston:

--Having lost seven of their last nine games, including Sunday’s 7-4 defeat by the Texas Rangers.

--Producing five hits or less in six of those nine games.

--Owning a total of 10 base hits in their last three games.

--Lacking Terry Forster, who has been officially excluded from the playoff roster, and a healthy Reggie Jackson, who left Sunday’s game after one at-bat with a bruised hand.

On such a roll will the Angels open their third bid for their first World Series appearance Tuesday. At the moment, the best thing going for the Angels is how the Red Sox are going. Boston has matched the Angels, slump-for-slump, scoring four runs in its last four games--all losses.

“Call Boston and ask them if they’re worried,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “What have they had--four runs in four games?

“It’d be silly to be concerned about it. What happened this past week doesn’t matter Tuesday. In fact, what happened the last six months doesn’t matter.

“Downing’s RBIs, DeCinces’ RBIs, Joyner’s RBIs, Gary’s stolen bases--we can’t be taking those numbers with us. We’ll take what they can do with (those numbers), but we’re all starting over Tuesday.”

Regarding numbers: Brian Downing, Doug DeCinces and Wally Joyner have all driven in 90 or more runs this season. Joyner reached an even 100 with his two-run single in the fourth inning Sunday and DeCinces finished with 96 after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh.

Gary Pettis also stole 50 bases for the second time in as many seasons. Pettis got No. 50 against Texas catcher Geno Petralli in the eighth inning.

So much for Angel highlights.

The Angels’ final regular-season game of 1986 also saw Don Sutton surrender 9 hits and 6 earned runs in 5 innings, the Angel offense manage 5 hits in 9 innings and Jackson leave the game with a sore left hand in the fourth inning.

After batting leadoff and flying out to open the game, Jackson asked to be taken out of the lineup. He had the hand examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum and X-rays proved negative.

Jackson reportedly bruised the hand by slamming it against the dugout wall during Saturday night’s game, although Mauch was treating the origin of the injury rather mysteriously.

“Go ask Reggie,” Mauch said. “Whatever he tells you, I’ll agree with it.”

Jackson confirmed that he bruised the hand by hitting the wall. It apparently happened after Jackson fouled out in his final at-bat Saturday. That extended his season-ending slump to 2 for 29. Frustration set in and Jackson took it out on cement.

“It’s just a bruise,” Jackson said. “I was trying to hide it today, but after that first at-bat, I got a little nervous.

“A bruise like this usually goes away fast. I’m sure it’ll be OK.”

The Angels also announced that Forster would be left off the 24-man playoff roster. For the record, the Angels are listing Forster as “injured.”

“It’s the same thing the Red Sox are doing with (Tom) Seaver,” an Angel spokesman said.

Forster spent part of July and all of August on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. The Angels contend he hasn’t fully recovered.

“Forster was outstanding before he got hurt,” Mauch said. “It hasn’t really been the same since he came back. I’m sure he’ll tell you he can’t come down properly on the ankle right now.”

Said Forster: “It’s not 100%, but I still felt I could get guys out. I knew I was not throwing the ball as well as before, but I thought it was well enough to pitch (in the playoffs).”

Thus, Forster will end the 1986 season the way he began it--as a man without a team. On April 1, Forster was released by the Atlanta Braves. The season was a week old when Forster signed with the Angels.

“This hurts more,” said Forster, who had helped anchor the Angel bullpen while Donnie Moore and Gary Lucas were on the disabled list. “How soon people forget. They go with the hot hand. Is it fair? What is fair?

“When I got released by the Braves, I figured, nothing’s for sure in this game. I sure learned that this season.”

And so, it’s off to Boston for the Angels, who will arrive amid less than soaring spirits. Jackson, who has been this way before, would prefer it different.

“I always thought if a team played well at the end, it made a difference (in the playoffs),” he said. “I always liked to see a team pushed to the end.

“With the Yankees, we would win 100 games but we always seemed to be pushed all the way. That helps you keep your edge.”

Right now, the Angels and the Red Sox are both searching for that edge.

“We’ve been kind of moping around for a week and so have they,” Jackson said. “Let’s go at it. All this rhetoric won’t matter Tuesday.”

Angel Notes

When Wally Joyner drove in his 100th run and Texas’ Pete Incaviglia drove out his 30th home run Sunday, history was twice equalled. Joyner and Oakland’s Jose Canseco have become the first American League rookies to drive in 100 runs in the same season since Fred Lynn (105) and Jim Rice (102) in 1975. Incaviglia and Canseco have become the first AL rookies to hit 30 home runs in the same season since Al Rosen (37) and Walt Dropo (34) in 1950. . . . Joyner on RBI No. 100: “It’s real special. I’m not a goal-setter, but this has been a great year, a tremendous year, and it might not ever happen again. When you get that close, that’s why you want to get it. I may never have another chance at 100. This ices the cake a little bit.” Joyner was asked what effect his reaching 100 RBIs would have on the Rookie of the Year balloting. “Now that we both have 100 or more, that might take away a little (support) from Canseco,” Joyner said. “Maybe, maybe not.” . . . Incaviglia did not strike out in four at-bats, ending the season with 185 strikeouts. Bobby Bonds’ all-time record of 189 is safe for another year.

Win One, Lose One: The Angels entered Sunday bidding for both the 1986 American League ERA title and the franchise record for fewest errors committed in a single season. They emerged with a split. While Angel pitchers were yielding seven earned runs, Kansas City allowed six in a 6-0 loss to Oakland. That gave the Royals the final edge in team ERA, 3.83 to 3.86. By committing just one error, however, the Angels eclipsed the old team fielding record. The 1986 Angels made 107 errors. The 1982 club had 108. . . . Because Terry Forster has been categorized as “injured,” he could be re-instated to the roster if the Angels qualify for the World Series. “I don’t want anybody to get hurt, but I want to get to the World Series,” Forster said. “If it’s with the Mets, you’d want to run as many lefties out there as you can.” . . . Forster will accompany the team to Boston, along with other non-roster players Darrell Miller, Gus Polidor and Urbano Lugo. “A precautionary measure,” Gene Mauch termed it. . . . Mark Ryal will undergo arthroscopic surgery Thursday to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Ryal had played the last six weeks with the injury.