Angels Win, 8-2, but Downing Is Not Pleased : Howell Also Unhappy About Being Moved to Make Room for Buckner as DH

The other shoe dropped for the Angels Friday night. It is red in color, high-topped in design and it belongs to Bill Buckner.

It caused quite a stir, too, during the hours leading up to the start of an eventual 8-2 Angel victory over Seattle at Anaheim Stadium.

When Manager Gene Mauch pencilled in Buckner’s name at designated hitter for the first time, it finally brought about the anticipated moves of Brian Downing to left field and Jack Howell to right.

And how did Downing and Howell accept their new assignments?

Well, put it this way: At least Mauch didn’t have to personally drag them out to their new posts.

“I hate it. I despise it,” said Downing before deciding he didn’t want to talk about it any more. Before Buckner, Downing had served as the happiest DH alive.

Howell, who had been the Angels’ regular left fielder after being from third base, wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being moved again.

“I was comfortable in left field,” Howell said. “I’ve played 50, 60 games there this year. Obviously, there’s going to be a difference.

“But the object is to be up here and play and see what you can do. Of course, it’s easier to go to some position and master it.”

Already this season, Howell has played left field, third base, second base and now right. He wondered about the rationale behind the latest move.

“I don’t know the reason for it,” he said. “I have no idea. Maybe it’s to get more power in the outfield, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s temporary, if it’s an experiment, if it’s forever.”

Howell was on the right track. The Angels rank 25th among 26th major-league clubs in team batting (.246). They needed another bat in the lineup. This is one way to do it.

And in its maiden run, the Angels’ beefed-up lineup did what it was designed for. The Angels totaled 11 hits and scored eight runs--all of them in the first six innings.

Downing, the new left fielder, doubled in the first inning, scored the club’s first run and brought home another with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

Howell, the new right fielder, added another double and another run.

Wally Joyner, returning to first base after missing four games with a rib injury, had a single, two RBIs and his 22nd home run of the season. He hit it in the third inning, just before Devon White connected on his 19th home run.

Everybody but Buckner either had a hit or drove in a run. Shortstop Gus Polidor had his first three-hit night as a major -leaguer, knocking in a pair of runs. Bob Boone had two singles, Doug DeCinces one and Mark McLemore brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Buckner went 0 for 3 with a walk, but suffice to say, his presence was felt.

Benefitting from this sudden offense, as well as a sudden muscle pull by Jerry Reuss, was Angel long reliever Jack Lazorko. Lazorko had to replace Reuss in the second inning when a pulled left calf muscle forced Reuss out of the game. Lazorko went on to pitch 4 innings, allow one run and earn his fourth victory against five losses.

The loss went to Seattle starter Scott Bankhead (7-6), who beat the Angels twice in April but has since lapsed into home run-mania. Before Friday’s game, Bankhead had surrendered a team-high 23 home runs.

“He’s been known to throw a few home runs,” Mauch said before the game. “But we haven’t been the ones hitting them.”

That came to an end in the third inning when Joyner led off with a drive over the centerfield fence. As his 22nd home run of the season, it equalled his output as a rookie in 1986.

White immediately followed with another home run to center. It marked the sixth time the Angels had hit back-to-back home runs during 1987--the fourth time Joyner and White had done it.

Reuss lasted just one inning, but this start was not interrupted by the long ball. Reuss pulled a muscle while coming off the mound after getting the game’s first hitter, Donnell Nixon, on a grounder to second. Reuss went on to finish the inning and made two pitches to Alvin Davis in the second inning, but was then forced to retire.

He then turned the proceedings over to Lazorko and the Angel offense. Lazorko pitched into the sixth inning, where he gave way to Greg Minton. Minton worked the final 3 innings, allowing a ninth-inning home run to Davis, en route to his ninth save.

Angel Notes

Faulty Flashback: At first, Jack Howell didn’t want to talk about his move from left field to right. “Should I be scared?” he snapped. “Ask Devo (Devon White). He’s played both. I’m just going to go out there and, if it’s a fly ball, catch it. If it’s a ground ball, keep it front of me. Hopefully, a fly ball is a fly ball, no matter where it’s hit.” Then, warming a bit to the topic, Howell claimed it was no big deal, since he had played right field “five or six times last year. Weren’t you here?” Actually, Howell made one appearance in right in 1986--precisely one year ago, July 31, against Oakland. Whatever, it’s going to be a learning experience. “Obviously, I’m more comfortable in left. I’ve played 50, 60 games there,” Howell said. “But from what I can tell, playing right shouldn’t be much different. I might be totally wrong, but I’m going to approach it the same way I would left field.” Said Angel Manager Gene Mauch: “If I scared, I wouldn’t put him out there. I think he can do it. In fact, I know he can do it. Right field is a damn sight easier to play than left.”

Dick Schofield, though eligible to come off the disabled list, is still not ready to swing a bat against live pitching. “It may be another day or two before I can take batting practice,” said Schofield. Friday, Schofield’s workout consisted of hitting off the tee, playing catch on the sidelines and fielding a few ground balls at shortstop. . . . John Candelaria will pitch his second, and possibly last, simulated game today. If all goes well, Candelaria could be activated for a start next week. “That’s reasonable,” Mauch said. . . . Farm Report: So what’s up with Urbano Lugo? No, not his fastball. Actually, in eight starts with the Edmonton Trappers, Lugo has fared decently--compiling a 3-2 record with a 3.96 earned-run average. In 52 innings, he has struck out 29, walked 29 and allowed 6 home runs. Another ex-Angel pitcher, Mike Cook, has yet to find himself in Edmonton. Cook is 2-5 with a 6.83 ERA, walking 38 batters in 55 innings. Other Edmonton updates: Outfielder Dante Bichette is batting .311 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs despite injury setbacks. Tony Armas is hitting .190 with 4 RBIs in 16 games. And Vern Ruhle, one of many who served as the Angels’ fifth starter in 1986, is 0-7 with a 6.26 ERA.