It’s Not Perfection, but Witt Will Take the Win

Not until Tony Armas made a long, running catch of Jim Traber’s line drive to deep right-center field was Mike Witt able to escape with his 11th victory of the season Monday night.

Witt, the Angels’ right-hander, gave up too many hits and had too many runners on base to classify it as your typical complete game.

The Orioles had nine hits, scored two runs and had runners on base in five of the nine innings, but Witt (11-12) was able to struggle through it.

His curveball wasn’t working the way he would have liked it and he had to rely on more fastballs--about 75-80% of his pitches.

Perseverance and consistency, not to mention a live fastball, were Witt’s allies as the Angels defeated Baltimore, 4-2, in front of 21,974 in Anaheim Stadium.

Certainly it was a more welcomed outcome than his three previous complete games. All three resulted in losses, including a 3-1 loss to the Orioles Aug. 19.

Perhaps it helped that Witt was facing the Orioles, who are batting a paltry .235 as a team.

Five batters in the Orioles’ lineup Monday came into the game batting less than .225.

Nevertheless, the Orioles had Witt in trouble in the second, fifth, seventh and eighth innings. But they could not break through for the big inning.

Eight of the Orioles’ nine hits were singles. Their two runs came via a double play that scored Fred Lynn in the fifth and a groundout that scored Joe Orsulak, who had doubled for their only extra-base hit, in the eighth.

“Nine hits is not your typical good game,” Witt said of his first win at home since a July 15 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

“I was in tough situations, but I made the right pitches to get out of some jams.”

But while Witt has not pitched in overpowering fashion, piling up the strikeouts, he has finessed his way to two consecutive wins.

Last time out on Wednesday, he beat Boston and Roger Clemens, 4-3, holding the Red Sox scoreless until the seventh inning.

“The last three or four starts I’ve been consistently on my game,” Witt said. “And I’ve been able to carry out a plan.”

Whatever that plan was, Cookie Rojas, the Angels’ manager, sure was pleased by it.

“It was a great performance by Witt,” Rojas said. “He was in command the whole game and pretty strong at the end, too.”

Has Witt changed his pitching style to account for the increased consistency?

Not according to Rojas.

“Sometimes on your best day you don’t have to adjust,” he said. “Other times you have to throw more fastballs if your curveball isn’t working.

“Tonight, he pitched an outstanding ballgame.”

Of course it didn’t hurt that every time the Orioles crept close, the Angels were able to pull away.

Armas’ towering solo homer in the seventh inning turned back one Baltimore advance, expanding a 2-1 lead to 3-1.

And after Baltimore closed to within 3-2, Brian Downing’s single to center scored Thad Bosley for a 4-2 lead.

“It always helps to score 15 runs once in a while,” Witt said in reference to the Angels’ recent hot hitting in the New York series. “It makes it easier on the pitching staff.”