Finley Shows Family, Angels a Tough Saturday in 6-3 Loss

It should have been a happy reunion when Chuck Finley’s father--who is also Chuck Finley--drove four hours from the family home at 31 Chuck Lane in West Monroe, La., to see his son pitch against the Texas Rangers Saturday.

Maybe the speeding ticket Chuck Finley Sr. got along the way was an omen.

“He’ll probably make me pay,” Finley Jr., the Angel left-hander, said. “If I’d won, he’d probably have let me slide. He might have to try to get his name changed.”

Saturday night at Arlington Stadium became family night for both starting pitchers. While Finley wondered if the pressure of pitching before 35 relatives led to his horrendous performance in the Angels’ 6-3 loss, Ranger starter Mike Jeffcoat attributed his complete-game victory to the inspiration provided by his family, which grew by two Friday when his wife, Kim, gave birth to twins.

“I wasn’t nervous tonight before the game,” said Jeffcoat (1-1), who became the first left-handed Ranger starter to win a game this season. “(Friday) night put everything in perspective, seeing not just one miracle, but the birth of two children.”

It was a wonder that Jeffcoat got past the first two innings to get the last-place Rangers their third victory in 10 games. The Angels hit him hard in the first, an inning capped by Dave Winfield’s two-run single; and Rick Schu made it 3-0 in the third with a leadoff home run, his third of the season. That seemed to be enough for the Angels, who had the incentive of reaching .500 and gaining a game on the Oakland Athletics and the assurance of having their most successful pitcher on the mound.

That assurance was destroyed in the second and third innings. The first four Rangers reached base in the second, resulting in two runs; and five singles and a walk produced three more runs in the third.

Finley (7-3) left with two out in the third inning with his pride the only casualty after being hit in the right shin by Mike Stanley’s liner. To add injury to insult, Finley bumped his head on the low dugout ceiling as he exited.

“They hit the ball hard, but I thought we were out of it, and that one hits me on the leg,” said Finley, who had won his four previous starts and had gone into the seventh inning in eight of his other nine starts this season. “I went as far as I could as long as I could. It just didn’t take that long.

“They spotted us three runs and I let them back in the game. I gave (Jeffcoat) a second wind. You get that close to .500 and you really want to get there. We’ve been playing pretty good ball. It’s just a shame to waste the offense. I let them get back in the game and they took it from there.

“Certain nights, you got certain (pitches) over, but I got too many out over the plate. The ones they hit were hard fastballs over the plate. (Harold) Baines got one of those (for an RBI single in the third inning). We were trying to use all my pitches, but they weren’t that sharp.”

Finley was charged with five runs. Mike Fetters, in his first appearance since May 24, gave up a 417-foot home run to Pete Incaviglia in the eighth inning, and the Angels collected only four hits over the last seven innings against Jeffcoat.

“You’ve got to give the young man a lot of credit for persevering and regrouping,” Angel Manager Doug Rader said. “(Jeffcoat) did a good job. We hit some balls well, but we just couldn’t get things going.”

The Angels still believe they’re going to surpass .500 even though they haven’t been there since they were 7-7 on April 25. Saturday was their third futile attempt in a week to break even.

“We had (Jeffcoat) and we hit a few balls hard for a couple of outs,” said Dante Bichette, who left runners on second and third bases in the first inning when he grounded out to shortstop. “He managed to hang in there and we couldn’t get anything going.

“I don’t think we’re worried about getting to .500. It’s not like we’re choking. It’s just a matter of time.”

Next time he pitches, Finley plans to do without the family fuss. Saturday’s loss left his road record this season at 2-3 with a 5.19 earned-run average, compared with his 5-0 mark and 1.38 ERA at Anaheim Stadium--a destination too far for his family to visit often.

“It seems like every time I come here, it’s the same thing,” said Finley, who has a 1-2 career record at Arlington Stadium. “I just have to reload. Thank God we’re going to a city (Kansas City) that’s a little further away.”

Angel Notes

Infielder Donnie Hill was examined by Ranger team physician Mike Mycoskie, whose diagnosis was a strained right shoulder. Hill is to return to California today for examination by Angel orthopedist Lewis Yocum. Angel Manager Doug Rader said the club might be able to recall shortstop Dick Schofield, who played seven innings for triple-A Edmonton in the third game of his rehabilitation assignment, but Rader is awaiting detailed word on Schofield’s condition.

Catcher Bill Schroeder returned home to Milwaukee to consult with the therapist he worked with last summer after surgery on his right elbow. He was scheduled to join Class-A Palm Springs on rehabilitation assignment but was in too much pain.

Reliever Greg Minton threw curveballs for the first time since his April 25 elbow surgery and had no after effects. He’s expected to come off the disabled list June 18 and expects to be ready. “I woke up (Saturday) morning and said, ‘Yeah!’ ” Minton said, flexing his arm to show its range of motion. “I had no doubt two weeks ago that my fastball would be OK, but the curve worried me. I told Doug I can still give him some gray hairs. He isn’t through with me.”

Infielder Mark McLemore, with Edmonton after spraining his right wrist, was hit on the left heel by a ball Friday and had to leave the game. No word on his condition was available.