Ray’s 6 RBIs Provide Bullpen Enough Relief To Preseve Angel Win

On a night when Johnny Ray had 4 hits and 6 runs batted in, guess who was the center of attention Thursday night in the Angels’ 11-6 victory over Seattle?

Why DeWayne Buice and Donnie Moore, of course.

Buice and Moore managed to hold off the Mariners for 2 innings, a feat more remarkable than your run-of-the-mill 6-RBI night, at least when you consider the state of the Angels’ bullpen these days.

Ray, who has 11 RBIs in his last 3 games and has boosted his batting average more than 150 points, to .362, in the last six games, provided plenty of punch Thursday night, and the Angels needed every one of the runs he drove in.

Most of the 22,172 who braved a chilly night at Anaheim Stadium weren’t sure 11 runs were enough . . . or they just wanted to stick around to boo Moore when he came on to pitch in the ninth. He did little to gain their favor, allowing an unearned run and three hits.

But it was good enough to preserve a win for starter Willie Fraser (2-0), who lasted 6 innings and allowed 8 hits and 5 runs, only 2 of which were earned.

“Buice did the job and Moore did the job tonight,” Manager Cookie Rojas said. “I brought Moore in because I wanted him to close this game . . . whether it was a 1-run or 2-run game.”

Moore, of course, had given up the 3-run homer to Ron Hassey Wednesday in Oakland as the A’s rallied for a 9-8 win over the Angels.

But the Angels’ bats were booming against the Mariners--Bob Boone had his first 4-hit night since 1984--and the Angels ended up with 15 hits and enough runs.

Ray was No. 1 on this hit parade with two singles and two doubles. The six RBIs were a career high for Ray, who had five on May 15, 1982, against the Cincinnati Reds when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ray, never known for his blazing speed, was thrown out by left fielder Mickey Brantley when he tried to stretch a first-inning single into a double. But he hit a line drive that looked like an instant replay of his first hit to drive in the Angels’ first two runs in the third, and this time he made it into second base safely.

Boone opened the inning with a single to right, and Dick Schofield followed with a double that slid just inside the first base bag and down into the right-field corner. One out later, Ray came through.

The Angels increased their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning. Bill Buckner opened the inning with a single to left. Jack Howell then hit a line drive into the right-field corner and was awarded second after a collision with Mariner first baseman Ken Phelps. Howell landed in a heap halfway between first and second and didn’t get up until trainer Ned Bergert had given him the once- and even twice-over.

Buckner was out at the plate trying to score on Devon White’s grounder to third, but Boone drove home Howell when he slapped another single into right. That was it for Mariner starter Bill Swift. Manager Dick Williams brought in Ed Nunez, who got Schofield on a fly to right and struck out Mark McLemore.

The Angels, already well-versed in squandering leads, found a new way in the fifth. No one could blame the bullpen for this lapse, though. Phelps opened with a single to right and then Fraser walked Glenn Wilson. Jim Presley rolled one out to Fraser who picked it up and lobbed it over the head of Howell at third. Phelps and Wilson scored and Presley ended up at second.

Rojas went out to the mound to calm Fraser, but the right-hander promptly uncorked a wild pitch and Presley took third. Rey Quinones lined to second, but Harold Reynolds hit a fly ball to center just deep enough to score Presley with the tying run.

The Angels took a 4-3 lead in the fifth when Ray walked, went to third on Chili Davis’ single and scored when Wally Joyner grounded into a double play.

But the Mariners had wasted a chance to take the lead in the top half of the fifth when they had runners on second and third with no outs after Scott Bradley singled and Henry Cotto doubled. But Fraser got Alvin Davis to ground to first and, after walking Phelps intentionally, got Wilson to ground into a double play.

The Angels went ahead, 7-3, in the sixth, thanks to a walk, two steals, a bunt, a bleeder and, of course, Ray. White worked the one-out walk, then easily stole second and third. Boone, trying to squeeze home White, popped up his bunt attempt, but Presley was unable to make a diving catch. White scored and Boone was safe at first. Schofield beat out a slow roller to third and Williams brought in right-hander Mike Jackson. Jackson walked McLemore to load the bases and then Ray lined a 2-run single to right.

Presley led off the seventh with a line-drive homer to left and Quinones followed with a single to center. Fraser got Reynolds on a grounder to first, but Rojas--obviously with great trepidation--decided to go to the bullpen.

Buice, owner of one of the best ERAs--a less-than-awesome 6.35--in the Angels’ bullpen, came on to get Brantley on a pop-up before yielding an RBI single to Scott Bradley.

The Angels provided Moore with a comfortable cushion by scoring four more runs in the eighth. McLemore had a run-scoring single, and Ray drove in two with a double to right-center. Ray scored on Chili Davis’ sacrifice fly.

“A big lead can take the pressure off the bullpen,” Rojas admitted, “but Buice and Moore are my stoppers.”

So far, they haven’t been able to stop much. But Thursday night was, well, a start.

Then Ray and Co. made it easy for Moore with a four-run eighth.

Angel Notes

Half of the Angels’ eight losses going into Thursday night were decided in the eighth or ninth inning and the bullpen had held opponents scoreless just twice in 13 appearances. After Thursday night’s game, the Angels announced that they were recalling right-hander Bryan Harvey from their triple-A affiliate in Edmonton and optioning left-hander Frank DiMichele to Edmonton. Harvey, 24, had a 3.18 earned-run average in five games with Edmonton. He allowed 6 hits, walked 4, struck out 5 and picked up 2 saves in 5 innings of work. DiMichele, who appeared in four games this season, had a 9.64 ERA. “It’s nothing against DiMichele,” Manager Cookie Rojas said. “We just thought Harvey could strengthen the bullpen.” . . . Greg Minton probably won’t be the answer to the Angels’ bullpen woes, at least not for a while. “I haven’t thrown a curveball yet, but I’m getting a little more velocity on the fastball each time,” said Minton, who is throwing on the sidelines every other day trying to rehabilitate a sore elbow. Physical therapist Roger Williams said Minton had experienced some soreness after his last workout, but Minton said his elbow felt “fine.” Asked about a timetable, Minton said, “Well, I’m sure they’ll want me to throw a couple of times in Palm Springs. Let’s see, by the time they expand the roster in September, I’ll be there.” . . . Second baseman Mark McLemore, who was scratched from the starting lineup Wednesday because of the flu, was back in the leadoff spot Thursday night. “I’m still a little weak and a little dizzy,” McLemore said, “but I feel a lot better than I did in Oakland.” . . . Devon White says his right knee is “fine,” despite reports to the contrary. Broadcaster Al Conin said White appeared to favor the knee when he pulled up for a double in the fifth inning Wednesday after hitting the ball into the right-field corner. “I pulled up going into second because (A’s right fielder Jose) Canseco had the ball and I wasn’t going anywhere,” White said. “There’s no use running hard into a base and stopping when you can walk in.” . . . Catcher Butch Wynegar still can’t believe that Ron Hassey of the A’s hit that 2-out, 3-run homer in the eighth inning off reliever Donnie Moore to beat the Angels Wednesday. “I usually get a feel for how a game is going, and I really felt good about that one. The way Donnie was throwing and the strikeouts of (Dave) Parker and (Mark) McGwire, well, it’s not that I don’t respect Hassey, I just thought we’d get him. That was a really tough one for Donnie. Now, all he’s got to look forward to is coming here and facing the wrath of the fans.” . . . The Wrath Begins: A couple of fans sent a T-shirt up to the press box that was silk-screened with Moore’s name surrounded by a red circle with a slash through it. The message is clear in all languages: No Moore.