Bailes Back to Show Up the Indians, Bails Out Blyleven in Angel Win

Having been traded five times in his 20 major league seasons, Bert Blyleven has learned to carry his luggage but not carry a grudge. The Cleveland Indians are just another opponent for the 39-year-old right-hander, no more important a conquest than any other team.

“You try to go out and beat everybody,” said Blyleven, who was 48-37 in 4 1/2 seasons with the Indians. “Hopefully, that extra hardness is always there. I’ve been traded before, and you do want to do extra well the first time or two, but it kind of wears off.”

The thrill was there Monday for Scott Bailes, whom the Indians traded to the Angels in January for a pair of minor leaguers. Bailes followed a strong effort by Blyleven with two scoreless innings of relief in the Angels’ 5-3 victory over Cleveland at wind-swept Municipal Stadium.

Bailes entered the game with the Angels leading, 4-3, and Sandy Alomar in scoring position after a run-scoring double. Bailes induced Carlos Baerga to hit an inning-ending pop-up to second and held off the Indians until two out in the eighth, when he yielded to Mark Eichhorn with runners on first and second. Eichhorn finished up, earning his eighth save in nine opportunities and giving Bailes a happy return.

“I wanted to do good,” the 27-year-old left-hander said. “I wanted to make them think they made a mistake because they’re the ones that made me realize this isn’t just a game anymore.

“You think you’re part of something, then you wake up one morning, and that’s it. I’d always been with the Indians. It was a strange feeling. That’s why I wanted to come in and pitch good. That helps you get over it.”

Bailes’ effective work and the 5 2/3-inning, four-strikeout job turned in by Blyleven (2-3) helped the Angels get over the loss of another infielder. Third baseman Jack Howell, one of the team’s hottest hitters, sprained his right knee in the fifth inning when Cory Snyder slid into him as Snyder was trying to take third on a wild pitch.

Howell twisted his body, and the “pop” he heard wasn’t encouraging. His status is day to day.

With Dick Schofield, Kent Anderson and Mark McLemore on the disabled list and Johnny Ray still recovering from problems with his right shoulder, Angel Manager Doug Rader is short on healthy infielders.

“I’m looking for some volunteers,” Rader said. “Jeepers, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

He did like what he saw on the mound and from his offense. The Angels gave Blyleven a 3-0 lead in the second inning against rookie right-hander Jeff Shaw (1-1), with Ray’s two-run double doing the initial damage and Donnie Hill adding an RBI-single with two out. A leadoff single by Luis Polonia, a double by Devon White and Chili Davis’ sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 4-0, a lead the Indians halved in the bottom of the inning.

Snyder led off with a double and was thrown out at third on the wild pitch that allowed Alomar to reach first after striking out. Baerga’s single sent Alomar to second and Alomar scored on Jerry Browne’s single. Dion James’ opposite-field double to left scored Baerga, but Blyleven got out of the inning by striking out Candy Maldonado.

Blyleven, who worked on three days of rest instead of the usual four, got the first two outs in the sixth, but Snyder reached second when his bouncer went off Hill’s glove at third for an error. Alomar’s double down the line ended Blyleven’s night.

“I felt strong, but I’m still a little disappointed that I’m not getting to the seventh or eighth,” said Blyleven, whose longest stint was 6 2/3 innings against Baltimore May 7.

“We need some complete games. I want some. I wanted a shutout bad, and when I lost that, I wanted to get to the seventh or eighth. . . .

“It was a nice win. I needed this win. Not only for confidence but also hopefully to get on a roll and be consistent.”

While Bailes and Eichhorn held the Indians in the last three innings, the Angels scored an insurance run in the eighth. Joyner led off with a single, stole second with two out and scored on Lance Parrish’s single off Sergio Valdez.

Angel Notes

Shortstop Kent Anderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Sunday because of a sprained right shoulder, prompting the recall of Gary Disarcina from triple-A Edmonton. Anderson said his shoulder has been sore for several weeks and worsened Saturday in Toronto when he made a diving stop on a shot hit by Rance Mulliniks.

Disarcina, whose name was misspelled on his uniform as “DESARCINA” Monday, hit .134 in 22 games for the Trappers with three RBIs. Hitting for Jack Howell in the sixth inning, he flied to right in his first major league at-bat. “It was unexpected so I didn’t have time to get nervous,” Disarcina said.

Anderson is the sixth Angel on the DL. The others are Bob McClure (left elbow tendinitis), Bill Schroeder (sore right elbow), Dick Schofield (strained hamstring), Greg Minton (right elbow surgery) and Mark McLemore (sprained right wrist).

The victory ended the Angels’ four-game losing streak against the Indians and five in a row in Cleveland. . . . The Angels’ four stolen bases Monday was a season high. . . . Wally Joyner is hitting .408 (20 for 49) since a 22 for 90 (.222) start. . . . Dante Bichette, who had a sore neck, did not play.

The Indians sent Monday’s starter, Jeff Shaw, to triple-A Colorado Springs and recalled right-hander Rudy Seanez from double-A Canton-Akron. They must make another move today when they activate right-hander Tom Candiotti from the disabled list in time for him to start against the Angels tonight.