A New Danny Jackson Changes Up on Angels

In the wake of his most recent drubbing, a 12-0 pasting at the hands of the Angels last Sunday, Kansas City pitcher Danny Jackson opted for a change of wardrobe.

Hoping to exorcise the residue of a 2-9 start, the struggling left-hander cleaned out his locker and asked for a new uniform, turning in his old No. 25 for No. 15.

“I threw everything out and bought new stuff,” Jackson told Kansas City reporters this week. “New (warmup) sleeves, new underwear, everything that we buy.

“The way things have been going, I figured it was about time for a change. It’s like starting fresh, all over. A new year, a new uniform.”

Jackson’s “new year” got off to a rousing start Friday night as he pitched a four-hitter in the Royals’ 2-0 victory over the Angels before a crowd of 32,797 at Anaheim Stadium.

It was Jackson’s first shutout since last Oct. 1, when he blanked the Angels, 2-0, on two hits at Kansas City.

His next start was the 1987 season opener, which he lost, along with his next three decisions.

He was 2-2 in May, but in his last three starts before Friday night, he had walked 15 and given up 22 hits and 15 earned runs in 15 innings for an 8.62 earned-run average.

Several fans sent him good-luck charms, he said.

But, in reviewing films of last Sunday’s embarrassing loss, in which he yielded a season-high 6 walks and gave up 6 runs on 7 hits in only 4 innings, he noticed a flaw in his delivery.

“I saw I was dropping my back shoulder a little bit after I broke my hands,” he said. “Sometimes, I’d do it more than others, even when I was throwing strikes.

“The more it drops, the more my arm drags. And the more my arm drags, the flatter the ball is, and the more it moves on me.”

He also hoped to change his fortunes by changing uniform numbers.

“That’s always been my lucky number--and 1-5 is my birthday,” said Jackson, who was born on Jan. 5, 1962. “I’ve always had good luck on my birthday. I’ll keep my birthday on my back and I’ll have good luck.”

He didn’t need much luck against the Angels, walking 4 and striking out 3.

The Royals gave him an early lead, scoring in the first inning and again in the third off losing pitcher Don Sutton (3-8), who had combined with Greg Minton to shut out the Royals last Sunday on seven hits.

And shortstop Angel Salazar provided Jackson with solid defense, fielding seven chances flawlessly.

“It was the best game of shortstop I’ve had played against one of my teams since Mark Belanger retired,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said. “Outside of that, it was a nothing game.”

The Angels made their only threat in the sixth, when Brian Downing and Dick Schofield opened the inning with back-to-back singles.

But Jackson struck out Doug DeCinces and then, on a hit-and-run play, struck out George Hendrick. Royal catcher Jamie Quirk completed a double play, throwing out Downing at third base.

Sutton, who missed his son’s high school graduation to make his 15th start, walked a tightrope through the first three innings, giving up seven hits, but stranding five runners.

Kevin Seitzer singled in the first, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single through the left side by Danny Tartabull, who has hit in 13 of 16 games this month and, after going 3 for 4, is 24 for 61 with 10 runs batted in.

In the second, Bo Jackson and Quirk singled, but Sutton got Willie Wilson to ground out to first, ending the threat.

George Brett doubled high off the wall in left-center field with one out in the third. Tartabull moved him to third with a single to right.

Brett then scored on a single through the middle by Frank White, who has hit in six straight games and has 8 RBIs in his last three.

“Here we go again,” said Sutton, who struck out a season-high seven batters, but gave up 9 hits in six innings. “I pitched just well enough to lose. It was a bad night for Danny Jackson to find himself.”

Angel Notes

Donnie Moore, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 29, was transferred to the 21-day list to make room on the 15-day list for John Candelaria. That means Moore would be eligible to come off the disabled list today. He pitched the equivalent of an inning in the bullpen Friday, and is scheduled to do so again today. “If he feels as good as he did today,” Angel Manager Gene Mauch said, “I think he’ll be ready by Monday.” . . . Second baseman Mark McLemore was out of the lineup because of a sore right arm. “He spent the entire day getting every test known to man taken on his right elbow and right shoulder,” Mauch said. The test results were inconclusive, the club later announced. The Angels, Mauch said, were “looking for a reason for why his arm hurts him so badly. I think it’s just a soreness, a tenderness that’s built up. He’s played a lot of baseball in the last nine months.” McLemore played last winter in Venezuela. . . . Doug Corbett, AWOL from the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Edmonton since Tuesday, has been released by the Angels. “Everybody knows how much I like Doug Corbett,” Mauch said, “but I can’t see him pitching ahead of DeWayne Buice. I can’t see him pitching ahead of Donnie Moore. I can’t see him pitching ahead of Greg Minton.” Added Mauch: “The latest rumor I heard on Doug Corbett is that he expects to be in a major league uniform within a week.” Corbett was 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 10 appearances at Edmonton. . . . Former Dodger pitcher Jerry Reuss, signed by the Angels Friday, said his fastball was clocked at 91 m.p.h. by the Cincinnati Reds. Said Reuss, who was 0-5 with a 7.79 ERA at Cincinnati: “My first question to them was, ‘Was that going in or coming out?’ ” . . . Don Sutton is 0-4 in eight starts at Anaheim Stadium. Said Sutton: “If it goes on the wrong side of the ledger, who cares where it happens?”