Clark Keeping Angels’ Ship Afloat : Cleveland Stopped, 7-4, as Rookie Wins Third Straight

If you don’t think it’s a long way from Johnson City, Tenn., to Anaheim, just ask Terry Clark. It took him 10 years to get here.

After beginning his professional baseball career in Johnson City 10 seasons ago, he made stops in Gastonia, N.C.; Midland, Tex., and a host of other garden spots before finally getting to the major leagues.

A lengthy--if not scenic--journey, to be sure. But well worth it.

The rookie right-hander boosted his major league record to 3-0 Friday night as the Angels beat Cleveland, 7-4, before an Anaheim Stadium crowd of 27,403.

Angel Manager Cookie Rojas says he is “tickled to death” to see Clark’s perseverance pay off, and he was smiling broadly after Clark went 7 innings, scattered 7 hits, struck out 4, walked just 1 and left to a standing ovation.

Clark arrived in Anaheim at a time when the better part of Rojas’ starting staff was hampered by a sprained something-or-other. Chuck Finley has yet to show that he has recovered from a hyperextended thumb. Dan Petry is still on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. And Mike Witt hurt his back putting on his socks.

“He’s kept us going when we needed it most,” Rojas said. “He got his opportunity and he’s done a hell of a job.”

Rojas, who managed Clark in the Dominican Republic winter league last season, contends that Clark’s decade in the minors isn’t necessarily a negative statement about his pitching abilities.

“He knows how to pitch and he’s got the mentality to stay on an even keel . . . or he never would have stuck it out this long in this game,” Rojas said. “He changes speeds well and he throws strikes. He’s learned enough to know that if he throws strikes, he gives himself a chance.”

The Angels gave Clark a quick four-run margin, and he didn’t give the Indians many free baserunners. He did not walk a batter until the eighth inning, when he walked Willie Upshaw. The next hitter, Joe Carter, hit a single to center field, and Rojas decided to bring in reliever Bryan Harvey.

Harvey, the Angels’ other rookie pitching star, wasn’t quite as impressive this time around. The Indians got three hits and two runs in the ninth, but the Angels held on to win their 10th game in the last 13 outings, and everyone could slap Harvey on the back and welcome him to the big leagues . . . again.

Clark, who beat the Indians in Cleveland in his major league debut, said an article in a Cleveland newspaper gave him added incentive Friday.

“One of their coaches said that they only got to see me two times through the lineup and if they had gotten another chance, they would have hit me hard,” Clark said. “It was a big game for me, to prove I could beat a good-hitting team twice.”

The way Rojas sees it, they’re all big games, especially when his team has won 22 of its last 31 and is trying to maintain its momentum while half of the pitchers are spending more time in the training room than on the mound.

“It’s been a plus for me and the team,” Clark said. “I knew I had to perform to stay up here, but it feels especially good to help the team during this hot streak.”

The Indians, who have lost five straight to the Angels, can’t understand why California isn’t battling Oakland for the division lead. And Cleveland starter Tom Candiotti can’t understand why the Angels haven’t won a couple of World Series in the last few seasons.

The Indians’ knuckleballer hasn’t had much success against the Angels--his career earned-run average against them was 7.07 coming into the game--and this outing was certainly no exception.

The first three Angels he faced eventually scored. Devon White beat a knuckleball into the dirt and then beat Candiotti’s throw to first base. Johnny Ray lined a single to right, and Wally Joyner followed with a run-scoring double down the right-field line. Two ground balls to second base produced one more run, and then Joyner scored when Jack Howell ripped a double just inside the right-field foul line.

The Angels went ahead, 4-0, in the second inning. Bob Boone, who was hitting .451 in his last 24 games before Friday night, hit a single up the middle to push his season average within a point of .300. He moved around to third on two ground-outs and scored on Ray’s single to center.

The Angels chased Candiotti (7-8) in the fifth. Joyner, who had a team record-tying three doubles, hit one into the gap in left-center with one out, and Chili Davis reached first when Candiotti dropped a throw from first baseman Upshaw. Cleveland Manager Doc Edwards brought in former Dodger Brad Havens, who was promptly welcomed back to Southern California by Jim Eppard and Howell, both of whom ripped run-scoring singles.

Clark yielded his first extra-base hit as a big leaguer in the sixth, and it cost him two runs. Julio Franco extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a leadoff single to center, and Upshaw hit a towering fly ball into the seats next to the Angel bullpen in right field to cut the Angels’ lead to 6-2.

But Ray got one run back in a hurry in the bottom of the sixth, lofting a fly ball just inside the foul pole and about four rows deep for his third homer of the season.

Clark, who says his change-up has been “fantastic” since his arrival in Anaheim kept his pitches down and got double plays after giving up singles to the leadoff hitters in both the second and third innings.

“I’m just trying to keep my concentration,” he said. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

He’s not having any trouble enjoying himself these days, however.

“This is just how I pictured (the major leagues) all those years,” he said. “Well, maybe I didn’t expect to be this successful, but I did expect to have this much fun. That’s what playing baseball is all about.”

Angel Notes

Catcher Darrell Miller, who went on the disabled list July 8 with a strain of the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, was reactivated Friday. Catcher Doug Davis was assigned to triple-A Edmonton to make room for Miller. Miller said he feels almost 100% but admits that he may have to adjust his game slightly. “I’m going to have to alter my sliding style because that’s how I hurt it,” he said. So what does he plan to do differently? “I don’t know, really,” he said. “I haven’t figured that out yet. I guess I’ll probably just start going in head first.”

Mike Witt, who suffered back spasms while pulling on his socks Tuesday, said his back was improved Friday. “It’s fine . . . better,” he said. Witt thinks he originally hurt his back lifting weights and aggravated it while dressing. Manager Cookie Rojas has yet to make a decision on his starting pitcher for Sunday, prefering to wait and see how Witt progresses. “Mike is on a day-to-day basis,” Rojas said. “If he’s ready, he’ll pitch Sunday. But if there is any soreness, then no. This is only Friday. We don’t need to make a decision yet.”

The Injury Beat Goes On: Pitcher Dan Petry (sprained ankle) was re-examined Friday by team orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum. Both a magnetic resonance imaging test and a bone scan proved negative. The diagnosis remains a sprain, but Petry is still unable to push off the mound well enough to pitch. “It looks like it might be awhile,” Rojas said. . . . Second baseman Mark McLemore joined Edmonton in Denver and played against Colorado Springs Friday night, beginning the final phase of his rehabilitation from surgery to remove a clogged vein in his right arm. McLemore, who batted .341 with 9 runs scored, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 6 RBIs and 7 stolen bases in 11 games with single-A Palm Springs, reportedly wasn’t very happy about being assigned to Edmonton instead of rejoining the major league club. “He needs to regain his timing against some better pitching,” Rojas said of the decision to send McLemore to Edmonton.