Angels Are 6-4 Losers to Red Sox : Candelaria Ailing; Downing Is Hurt

The Angels returned to Fenway Park Friday night, saw their best hitter and best pitcher fall prey to injury, were beaten by the Boston Red Sox, 6-4, and left the place wondering why so much fuss is being made over its 75th anniversary. If the Angels donate anything to the festivities, it will likely be a wrecking ball. Last October, Fenway housed enough horrors to last the Angels a lifetime, with the franchise’s hopes for a first pennant disappearing here in Games 6 and 7.

Seven months later, conditions have not improved. In order of attrition Friday, the Angels lost John Candelaria in the sixth inning, Brian Downing in the seventh and the ballgame in the eighth--when relief pitcher DeWayne Buice (1-1) grooved a three-run home-run pitch to Dwight Evans, breaking a 3-3 tie.

A sore back knocked Candelaria out of the game after he completed the fifth inning. Candelaria has a history of back problems dating back to his years in Pittsburgh and has pitched in pain in his last three starts.

The Angels, who haven’t exactly advertised the ailment, failed to announce the cortisone injection Candelaria received late last week. Candelaria came back to pitch 7 innings Sunday during an 11-4 victory over Boston, but the pain was quick to return Friday night.

“I felt it from the first pitch on when I was warming up,” Candelaria said. “I think it’s a pulled muscle. As the game went on, it got worse.”

Candelaria struggled through his 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, including a home run--the first of two by designated hitter Don Baylor--and departed with the score 2-2. He will have his back examined today by the Red Sox’s team physician, Dr. Arthur Pappas.

Two innings later, Downing joined Candelaria in the trainer’s room. Playing with what he called “a mild pulled thigh muscle,” Downing aggravated it with four plate appearances Friday night.

After hitting two fly balls to right field, Downing gave the Angels a brief 2-1 lead in the fifth inning with a two-run home run off Bob Stanley, his 11th homer of the season. On his final at-bat, coming in the top of the seventh, Downing hit into a force play and had to hustle down the line to prevent a double play.

He beat the throw, but his leg was that much worse for it.

“On the second pop-out to right, I tried to run hard and I started feeling it,” Downing said. “After the home run, while I was jogging around the base, I could feel it a little more. And then the last time, I could really feel it.”

Downing stayed in the game long enough to advance to second base on a single by Devon White. But at that point, Downing signaled for a timeout, Angel Manager Gene Mauch came out for an inspection and Downing followed him back to the dugout.

“When I talked to him at second base, he thought he could score (on a single) from second base,” Mauch said. “But then the sensation ran down his leg, all the way to the knee, and he said he couldn’t make it.”

The injury could keep Downing out of the lineup today.

“At this point, it would be dumb to say if I can play,” Downing said late Friday night. “If it’s enough to take me out of the game, then I can’t make a statement like that.”

As for Candelaria, Mauch said he expects the 4-0 pitcher to make his next scheduled start. “My guess would be, yeah,” Mauch said.

Buice’s introduction to Fenway was a harsh one, even though he entered the game buoyed by his early success--a 1-0 record, 1 save and a 2.13 ERA in his first 7 Angel appearances.

Buice’s first pitch, to Baylor, wound up in the net above the left-field wall for a game-tying home run.

Buice recovered to keep the game tied through the seventh, retiring the next seven Red Sox in order. But with one out in the eighth, Jim Rice, back in the Boston lineup after missing seven games with a bruised elbow, pinged a double off the wall in center field.

That brought up Baylor, with two home runs to his credit for the night and four in four games against his former team. Not wanting to add to that total, Mauch had Buice intentionally walk Baylor.

That did not prevent a home run, however. Two pitches later, Evans got it, sending Buice’s 1-1 offering over the Green Monster for a 6-3 Boston lead.

Mauch second-guessed himself after that one--not for the intentional walk, but for letting Buice pitch to Evans.

“I might’ve stretched DeWayne a little too much,” Mauch said. “He was only supposed to go two (innings). We wanted to get him a lead and let Donnie Moore finish it. But the lead never materialized.”

Angel Notes

Welcome Back: Bob Boone made his first at-bat of 1987 Friday, pinch-hitting for Ruppert Jones in the ninth inning, and lined the first pitch he saw for a single off the left-field wall. “It was a nice way to start,” Boone said. “It fits into my plan. But if Wally (Joyner) hits a home run, it would’ve been nicer.” Devon White followed Boone’s hit with another single, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in Wally Joyner. But Joyner hit a grounder to third baseman Wade Boggs, who forced Boone at third base for the final out. Boone’s hit came against Joe Sambito, who faced Boone several times when both played in the National League. Did that enter into Mauch’s decision to bat Boone in that spot? “Did he get a hit?” Mauch said. Yeah, a reporter replied. “Then it did,” Mauch said with a grin. “It was a pretty nice swing. And he’ll get a chance to take a few more tomorrow (Saturday).” Mauch said Boone will make his first start as catcher today, a decision based partly on the fact that Al Nipper is pitching for the Red Sox. Boone has a .308 career average against Nipper, 4 for 13. . . . Don Baylor’s home run in the second inning gave the ex-Angel home runs in consecutive at-bats against John Candelaria. Baylor also hit a three-run homer off Candelaria last Sunday at Anaheim Stadium. The home run was the fifth allowed by Candelaria in 1987. Last season, he allowed only four. . . . White, with 1 hit in his previous 21 at-bats, had 3 singles and 1 RBI Friday night. Darrell Miller, batting .196 at game time, went 0 for 3 before hitting a solo home run off Sambito in the top of the ninth. . . . After skipping a turn in the rotation, Willie Fraser (1-1) will make his first start in 10 days today. The game will be televised (Channel 4, 11:15 a.m. PDT) as NBC’s Game of the Week.