Finley Scratches Out Victory Over Indians

For Chuck Finley, Saturday’s game against Cleveland was a typical outing. He repeatedly got into jams, then escaped with barely a scratch. The Angels’ offense gave a typical performance, too, but Finley won anyway.

The Angels got only three hits against three pitchers, but two of those hits were home runs--the first by Max Venable in the fourth inning and the other by Jack Howell in the fifth.

“That’s nice timing,” Finley said after the Angels combined those three hits with two bases-loaded walks and a fielder’s choice grounder to prevail, 5-2, and reach .500 for the first time since July 2. “Clutch hitting, that’s what’s important.”

So was the display of clutch pitching by Finley (13-4), who would have taken the American League earned-run average lead from Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox had he not given up a home run to Candy Maldonado with one out in the ninth. Instead of leading the league, he is second to Clemens. Clemens’ ERA is 2.465, Finley’s is 2.466.

“It doesn’t matter. That’s something you can only enjoy for four days,” said Finley, who had yielded a home run to Mitch Webster in the third. “You can go from first to last real quick. If it was my last start of the year, I’d be more disappointed. It doesn’t mean a lot right now.”

What meant most to the Angels was his ability to hold the Indians scoreless in the second inning and keep the Angels in the game. Maldonado led off the second with a walk and stole second. He went to third on Chris James’ infield hit, a promising situation for the Indians with .310 hitter Brook Jacoby coming up.

But Jacoby popped up to second baseman Donnie Hill in short right field. Finley then struck out Cory Snyder and got Felix Fermin to fly to the warning track in left.

“I don’t particularly like to get into those situations, but to be able to win you have to get out of them. When they do crop up, I have confidence I can get out. I’ve got a pretty good idea what I want to do. I definitely don’t panic or start doubting myself.”

Nor did the Angels panic, despite not getting a hit off Mike Walker (0-1) for 3 1/3 innings and seeing Webster hit a home run against Finley in the third. Venable made the Angels’ first hit count, powering a fastball into the stands in right-center field for his third home run of the season and first at Anaheim Stadium.

“I’m just a little Judy hitter, a line-drive hitter,” Venable said. “But I can go deep. I don’t consider myself a home run hitter--I just try to get on base.”

Jack Howell, who had two hits in his 23 previous at-bats and entered the game hitting .209, homered to left-center field in the fifth inning.

“He has the ability to succeed, but he needs to learn that he has the ability to succeed,” Manager Doug Rader said.

The Angels succeeded in getting to Walker for another run in the sixth. Venable drew a one-out walk, went to third on Dave Winfield’s double and held while Walker walked rookie Lee Stevens intentionally and yielded to reliever Steve Olin. The walk to Stevens loaded the bases for Brian Downing, who had anticipated that move.

“I knew that was coming before Dave Winfield hit the ball,” Downing said. “I wanted to make him throw some strikes and not be an easy out. He came in (Friday) night and pitched to me and one of the first things I saw, I hit for a double play ball. I wanted to be a little more selective.”

He was selective enough to draw a walk, scoring Venable. “Baseball’s pretty funny,” Venable said. “You go out and get three hits and win, and other times we’ve gotten 15 hits and lost. Finley’s been pitching pretty consistent all year, and he really kept them down.”

The Angels put Finley further ahead in the eighth against Jesse Orosco on four walks--the last by Howell forcing in Donnie Hill--and Bill Schroeder’s fielder’s choice grounder. “Any run late in the game is very helpful,” Finley said.

Whether Saturday’s outing will help his bid for 20 victories was a possibility he preferred not to think about. “I’ve got too many worries about 14,” he said. “If I’m close in September, I’ll worry about it then.”

Angel Notes

Dante Bichette, who was removed after seven innings Friday and didn’t play Saturday, said he is confused by his role as a sometime starter and added, “I’ll play somewhere in baseball.” However, he said he doesn’t want to be traded--merely to play.

“Things have been uncomfortable ever since they took me out of the lineup to begin with,” said Bichette, who was a regular until Dave Winfield’s arrival May 18. Bichette was hitting .281 and has slumped to .240.

“I really feel the Angels have had trouble showing confidence in a few people and I think that’s hurt,” Bichette said. “We are supposed to be professionals and you shouldn’t use that as an excuse and I’m not. . . . Nobody told me anything when they gave me the job and nobody told me when they took it away. It’s made me a . . . mentally stronger person. Everybody’s human and makes mistakes. I know I can play here. I’ll never lose confidence again. . . . It’s made me a little bitter toward the game, but maybe that’s better. I used to be very passive and let things like this happen. I’m battling.”

Wally Joyner disavowed knowledge of a prank played on Chicago Cub pitcher Rick Sutcliffe that was attributed to him and Bert Blyleven. The pair supposedly had a billboard posted in Chicago displaying Sutcliffe’s home phone number and telling fans to call him for tickets. The number was bogus. “I can’t take credit, though I wish I could,” Joyner said.

Joyner, who went on the 15-day disabled list July 16 because of a possible stress fracture in his right kneecap, is bored by his regimen, which excludes biking or running. “I’m trying to maintain upper-body workouts and some sanity,” he said.

Infielder Mark McLemore has regressed in his return from a sprained right wrist and ceased throwing and hitting. He will be examined Monday by Dr. Norman Zemel of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic.