Angels Give Witt 9-0 Lead on Way to a 9-4 Victory

Mike Witt and his capricious right shoulder were on trial Tuesday night, submitted for the approval of not one, but two, managers.

The Angels’ Gene Mauch wanted to see if Witt had overcome the tendinitis that knocked him out of his last start in the fifth inning.

The Boston Red Sox’s John McNamara wanted to see if Witt was worthy of consideration for a berth on the American League All-Star pitching staff, which McNamara will select Thursday.

By pitching 7 innings in the Angels’ 9-4 victory over the Red Sox at Anaheim Stadium, Witt passed inspection for Mauch.

And McNamara? He sought out Mauch’s opinion on Witt before the game and probably could have done without the visual aid that was to follow.

Witt shut out Boston through the first five innings before growing sloppy with a 9-0 lead in the sixth. He yielded a two-run home run to baseball’s leading hitter, Wade Boggs, and two RBI singles to Mike Greenwell before retiring for the evening with a 9-4 advantage.

But that can happen when a game appears out of hand and a pitcher’s mind begins to stray. Ask Roger Clemens about that some time.

“It might have changed my thinking,” Witt said of the big inning and the bigger lead. “I was just throwing the ball to get it over--and that’s no way to pitch.

“I learned that when Boggs hit that one over the wall.”

Durability was what Mauch was looking for. And Witt, who lasted 2 and 4 innings in two of his previous three starts, was able to work into the seventh once again.

Thus, Witt became the sixth AL pitcher to win 10 games in 1987, improving his record to 10-5 with relief assistance from DeWayne Buice, who earned his eighth save.

With 10 victories and a 3.35 earned-run average, Witt is All-Star material, at least in Mauch’s estimation.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he is,” Mauch said. “Mike Witt’s been an All-Star (quality) pitcher for three years we know about.”

Witt made the team for the first time in 1986, en route to an 18-win season. He was asked about the possibility of a repeat performance.

“I’ll leave that up to whoever’s picking it,” Witt said. “I’d be thrilled to go, but there’s a lot of guys having good years.”

Witt is one of three Angels who figure to receive consideration for next Tuesday’s All-Star game at Oakland. Wally Joyner has 71 RBIs, but there’s an overload at first base in the American League, where Don Mattingly and Mark McGwire, for starters, hang out. Devon White is batting .290 but could get lost in a sea of outfield candidates.

Every team is guaranteed at least one All-Star representative--and the Angels’ could well be Witt.

Mauch, however, said he wouldn’t re-arrange his starting rotation if Witt were selected by McNamara.

“He’ll pitch Sunday,” Mauch said. “Most people consider Tuesday to be a throwing (workout) day anyway. I know McNamara wouldn’t abuse anyone.

“If a guy pitched on Sunday and Mac wanted one inning out of him, that’s reasonable.”

Tuesday, the Angels made life easy for Witt by scoring nine times in the first five innings. In six of their last seven victories, all coming within the past 10 days, the Angels have scored nine runs or more.

Doug DeCinces produced the first of seven runs against Boston starter Al Nipper (7-8) with a bases-empty home run in the third inning, his second in as many nights and his 11th of the season.

The Angels added two more runs in the fourth, thanks to two passed balls charged to Red Sox catcher Marc Sullivan. After Joyner walked, the first passed ball enabled him to advance to second base. One out later, DeCinces struck out--only to reach first base on Sullivan’s second passed ball while scoring Joyner from third.

Bob Boone then doubled down the left-field line, bringing home DeCinces, and the Angels led, 3-0.

The fifth inning broke matters open as the Angels scored six times on only three hits.

Again, Sullivan figured significantly.

Gary Pettis singled and stole second on Sullivan, who fired his relay into center field for an error, allowing Pettis to streak all the way to third. Mark McLemore then walked and also stole second.

Brian Downing walked to load the bases before another pitch by Nipper got away from Sullivan. This one was ruled a wild pitch, but by any name, it enabled Pettis to score the Angels’ fourth run.

McLemore came home on a single by Devon White, the last hit Nipper would be allowed to allow. McNamara brought on reliever Tom Bolton, whose first assignment was to intentionally walk Joyner. There, he succeeded.

Getting out of the inning was a different story. The next hitter Bolton faced, Jack Howell, drove a triple into the gap in right-centerfield, clearing the bases. Boone then brought in Howell on a sacrifice fly and a 9-0 rout was on.

Three innings later, the Red Sox pulled to within 9-4 and had the bases loaded with one out. At that point, Mauch’s called off Witt’s trial and called on Buice.

For the second time in as many appearances, Buice left the bases loaded. He got Bill Buckner and pinch-hitter Don Baylor to fly to center, ending both the threat and the inning.

Buice has stranded all of the last 14 baserunners he has inherited in relief situations.

“I don’t remember ever coming in twice in a row with the bases loaded.” Buice said. “It’s a nice challenge, but I don’t want to do it too often. I might break one of those mirrors I’ve been doing it with.”

And those eight saves belonging to Buice rank among the Angels’ biggest surprises of 1987. They may not be enough to merit Buice a trip to Oakland next Tuesday.

But No. 8 may have gotten Witt there.

Angel Notes

Jack Howell’s three-run home run in the 12th inning of the Angels’ 10-7 victory Monday night was the short-term news, but the five innings he played at second base could prove significant in the days ahead. Faced with a roster move before Friday, when Kirk McCaskill is scheduled to be re-activated, Angel Manager Gene Mauch admitted he is considering going with an 11-man pitching staff once McCaskill returns. That would mean dropping a position player--and that player could be little-used utilityman Gus Polidor. If Howell can serve as backup second baseman and Mark McLemore can fill in as an emergency shortstop, Polidor and his .050 batting average become expendable. Polidor has one hit in 20 at-bats and has not appeared in a game since June 20. He has made nine plate appearances since May 16. Mauch was asked if he considered it vital to keep a backup shortstop on the roster. “How many innings has (Dick) Schofield played?” Mauch said. “It’s vital to have a backup here, or at least have one 24 hours away from here.” Was Mauch comfortable with the idea of using McLemore at shortstop in a pinch? “Yeah,” he said. And so is McLemore, who was drafted out of high school as a shortstop. “I started in pro ball there and I’ve played there every year except the last one,” McLemore said. “I’ve done it before. With a little bit of practice, I can do it again.”

Leftovers from Monday night: When the Angels rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the seventh inning, it marked the first time the Angels had won a game in which they trailed after the seventh. The club is 1-36 in such games. . . . The 7-0 deficit was the largest the Angels have overcome this season.