Armas’ High Fly Carries Just Far Enough for Angels

At first it looked, even to Tony Armas, like just another high fly ball to left field.

But Pete Incaviglia, the Texas Rangers’ left fielder, knew better.

Almost as soon as the ball left Armas’ bat in the fifth inning of the Angels’ game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Anaheim Stadium, Incaviglia faded back to the fence.

Slowly, because Armas hit it about as high the big A that towers above the scoreboard in left field.

Incaviglia got to the wall just as the ball started down. He waited and waited and timed his jump, but the ball cleared his glove and the fence by about four feet.

Armas’ homer--his first since May 13 against New York and only his third this season--got the Angels started on their way to a 3-0 win over Texas.

Though it was not a missile-like line drive and just a fly ball that happened to clear the fence, it was nonetheless an infrequent display of power by the Angels.

And when you get only four hits, as the Angels did Tuesday against Texas starter Ray Hayward and reliever Mitch Williams, you take your pokes where you can get them.

“It was a lift for Mike Witt (who picked up a complete-game victory),” Angel Manager Cookie Rojas said. “It’s nice to get some power out of (Armas). It’s nice to see him contribute.”

Armas, who also had a single in the second inning, has been struggling at the plate lately.

He had only 2 hits in his last 13 at-bats, and of his last 14 hits, only two went for extra bases. Armas came into Tuesday night’s game batting just .219.

This from the man who hit 43 home runs to lead the majors while playing for the Boston Red Sox in 1984.

“Everybody has been struggling,” said Armas, who raised his average to .229 with the two hits. “I’ve been working with Rick Down (the Angels’ hitting instructor) every day and taking extra batting practice.

“I don’t have anything else to do in the day, so I come a little early to the ballpark.”

Armas, who pushed his RBI total to 12, also has adopted a new hitting stance and that, he said, has helped, too.

“We’ve been losing so many close games,” Armas said. “It’s nice to win one.

“I don’t think we have a bad ballclub. Jack Howell . . . sooner or later he’s going to start hitting. Wally (Joyner) hopefully is going to start hitting for average and also drive in the runs.”

Howell, who had a double and scored the Angels’ third run in the eighth inning, is hitting just .240. And Joyner has dipped to .272 with only 3 homers and 23 RBIs.

And that is just part of the reason that California rates third to last in team batting in the American League. Only the Chicago White Sox and the woeful Baltimore Orioles are hitting below the Angels’ .243 average.

Minnesota leads the AL at .276.

But, for one game at least, Armas gave the Angels a jolt of power even if he thought it was just a simple fly ball.

“It was good enough to get out,” he would say later, breaking into a smile.