Angels Take Tough Defeat Quietly : Reggie: No One Said Winning a Pennant Would Be Easy

One minute, preparations were being made for a celebration. The next minute, the California Angels’ clubhouse was steeped in silence.

“This was as exciting a game as I’ve ever played in,” Reggie Jackson said Sunday after the Angels, one pitch away from their first World Series berth, dropped a 7-6, 11-inning decision to Boston in Game 5 of the American League championship series.

Leading 5-2 going into the ninth inning, the Angels were shocked when the Red Sox rallied to take a 6-5 lead. The Angels forced the game into extra innings, but finally succumbed to the relentless Red Sox.

“At one point, Don Baylor, who I’ve known for 20 years, was standing at first base and he told me, ‘this is the greatest game I’ve ever played in,’ ” said Angel veteran Bobby Grich.

“‘I told him, ‘same for me, Buddy.’ ”

Angel Manager Gene Mauch, mindful that the Red Sox’s comeback could have a lasting effect on his team, tried to downplay that possibility.

“Hey, you guys (the media) are making a whole lot more about this than the players are,” Mauch snapped. “I exalt when we win and I agonize when we lose--and then start thinking about the next game.”

But Angel catcher Bob Boone conceded the see-saw affair had left his team emotionally spent.

“It was such an emotional game that right now everyone is drained,” Boone said. “But tomorrow we’ll start thinking about (Game 6) in Boston and facing Oil Can Boyd.

No one was as drained as Angel reliever Donnie Moore, who surrendered a go-ahead, two-run homer to Dave Henderson in the ninth.

“I can’t blame my arm, but my pitch selection wasn’t too good,” said Moore, who has battled a tender arm all season and surrendered an alarming number of late-inning homer runs.

“We may be down, but we’re not out.” Jackson said, trying to view the game in context.

“This just goes to show us and everyone else how tough it is to win a pennant,” he said.

“No one is going to give it to you. You have to go out and win it. I’m not surprised by what the Red Sox did. That’s why they won (the AL) East.”