Fraser Strong-Arms Boston for Win

Preparations were made and caution was taken as Angel rookie Willie Fraser embarked upon his 14th start of the season Wednesday night at Anaheim Stadium.

Fraser has a history of shoulder problems--recent history, at that--and had to be bailed out of his last start after just four innings where his arm tired and his velocity dropped dramatically.

In event of a relapse, Angel Manager Gene Mauch laid out his contingency plan. The radar gun would be monitored closely. Jack Lazorko was primed for possible long relief.

“If he hadn’t had a history of having tired shoulders, we wouldn’t do anything,” Mauch explained. “We’re not concerned . . . but we have to be wary of it.”

There would be no complete game from Fraser Wednesday, but neither would the assignment need to be aborted. Fraser pitched long enough--and well enough--to earn the decision in the Angels’ 5-3 triumph over the Boston Red Sox before a crowd of 32,576.

Fraser (6-6) lasted 5 innings, limiting Boston to four hits and two runs. With relief help from Donnie Moore and DeWayne Buice, he pitched the Angels to their fourth straight victory and their 14th win in their last 18 games.

The victory also completed the Angels’ first three-game sweep of the Red Sox since May of 1974.

Sitting in the dugout more than hour before Fraser’s first pitch, Mauch spoke optimistically.

“I expect him to pitch just like he did in Boston,” Mauch said, referring to Fraser’s complete-game victory over the Red Sox May 9.

However, Mauch also talked about Fraser’s tired-arm tendencies and the attendant symptoms.

“You’ll know it when you see it,” he said. “Last time, the velocity suddenly was gone.

“The same thing happened last year, when we brought him up late in the season. He pitched beautifully for Palm Springs, he pitched beautifully for Edmonton. Then he comes here and his arm is tired.

“He pitched one game in Cleveland (lasting 4 innings) and that was it.”

Wednesday, Fraser’s arm held up for 98 pitches. He yielded just four hits but two of them were solo home runs. Fraser served up Dwight Evans’ 16th home run in the fourth inning and Wade Boggs’ 15th homer in the sixth.

For both Evans and Boggs, the blows were their fourth home runs of the season at Anaheim Stadium.

However, Fraser left with a 5-2 lead, thanks to some surprising stirring by the normally silent bottom half of the Angel batting order.

Take a look at the final four of Mauch’s Wednesday lineup:

--Butch Wynegar: .222, 0 home runs, 4 RBIs.

--Dick Schofield: .224, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs.

--Gary Pettis: .221, 1 home run, 10 RBIs.

--Mark McLemore: .223, 1 home run, 21 RBIs.

In the second inning, Wynegar and Schofield singled, Pettis walked and McLemore doubled. Schofield’s hit brought home Doug DeCinces, who had walked to lead off the inning. McLemore’s double scored Wynegar and Schofield, giving the Angels a quick 3-0 advantage.

In the fourth inning, Schofield singled again and stole second. Pettis walked again. McLemore forced Schofield at third, but Pettis moved into scoring position--from where Devon White brought him home with a single to center.

Jack Howell’s second home run of the series, coming off reliever Steve Crawford to open the bottom of the fifth, accounted for the Angels’ fifth run.

Fraser gave back one run in the top of the sixth, surrendering a lead-off homer to Boggs.