Unrequited Effort Brings Defeat for McCaskill, 2-1

If he could blame Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Mariners on the bone spurs that caused him to miss two starts earlier this season, or if he could cite a damaged ligament or even an old hockey injury, Kirk McCaskill would not have felt so achingly empty.

“I’d probably feel better if I was hurt,” the Angel right-hander said.

Strange as that sounds, there’s logic to it. McCaskill (7-7) no-hit the Mariners for 5 1/3 innings at the Kingdome and pitched with better stuff and better stamina than he has in months. He has pitched exceptionally well his last three outings, but in his last two has only a no-decision and a galling loss to show for it.

“I’m completely unsatisfied,” said McCaskill, who yielded three hits and pitched into the eighth inning, his longest stint since he went 8 1/3 against the Baltimore Orioles on April 30.

“You (reporters) will never know what it’s like out there. It can be the greatest feeling in the world--and the worst. The nuances of the game are hard to deal with. You can perform well and still lose.”

McCaskill’s only flaws were five walks, and the recipient of one of those--Greg Briley--scored the tying run in the fifth inning on a double by Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey tagged and advanced to third on Alvin Davis’ fly ball to center and scored the decisive run on Jeffrey Leonard’s single to right.

“The runs they scored, it would be easy to look in hindsight,” McCaskill said, “but I made the pitches I wanted to make in those situations. The thing I was most disturbed about is I walked so many people. I’ve been doing it all year and I don’t know why. It cost me big tonight.”

It wouldn’t have if the offense had taken advantage of at least two opportunities. In losing for the sixth time in seven games, the Angels left 11 runners on base, including three in the sixth inning. They left two on in the fourth after Brian Downing’s sacrifice fly--the first out of the inning--scored Devon White with their lone run.

“I feel for Kirk, and I feel for any pitcher when we score only one run,” Lee Stevens said. “Kirk kept us in the game. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit.”

Seeing another courageous effort by McCaskill go to waste left Manager Doug Rader as exasperated as he has been this season.

“We’ve got a guy out there pitching with a broken arm,” he said. “The guy’s going to need an operation after the year’s out. The guy’s busting his tail. Unbelievable. . . . We had two chances to break the game open and we score one run in two big-inning opportunities. That’s absolutely terrible.”

Asking what else he could conjure up that might galvanize the offense didn’t improve his mood.

“What do you suggest? What hasn’t been tried?” said Rader, who has used 99 different lineups in 101 games. “I think it’s pretty obvious we’ve tried everything so far. We’ve done it all. We’ve tried everything we could possibly try to create a different offensive atmosphere, and we cannot seem to come up with anything consistently effective.”

Holman’s sinker was effective for 6 2/3 innings, and he helped his own cause in the sixth with a spectacular play. Stevens had singled with one out and moved to third base on Lance Parrish’s double. The Mariners walked Downing intentionally to match Holman against the right-handed hitting Dante Bichette. The strategy proved successful, if somewhat painful for Holman, when Bichette hit a shot that ricocheted off Holman’s glove and knocked him off the mound as he completed his follow through.

Despite being unable to stand, Holman managed to crawl to the ball and throw it home to get force out Stevens. “It was a lot of luck and a lot of determination,” Holman said after the Mariners moved five games above .500, the latest point in the season they have had so good a record.

The Angels, 1-5 with four games left on this road trip, are feeling frustrated as never before.

“We’re making everybody look like superstars,” Bichette said.

Pitching well is some consolation to McCaskill, but not enough.

“This is as well as I’ve thrown in a long time as far as having four pitches and hitting spots and making pitches when I need to,” said McCaskill, who will undergo elbow surgery after the season to remove his troublesome bone spurs. “I hope it can continue and I can help us win. I’m getting tired of this losing stuff.”

Angel Notes

Infielder Kent Anderson, recalled from triple-A Edmonton after Friday’s game when third baseman Jack Howell was optioned, arrived at the Kingdome shortly after 4 p.m. because of travel delays. He wasn’t in the starting lineup but was delighted to be back in the big leagues.

“I was hoping to be called up, but you’re always surprised when it happens,” said Anderson, who was sent to Edmonton on June 30. “I was looking forward to it and hoping it would be as soon as possible.”

Anderson hit .271 with seven RBIs in 14 games with the Trappers. He split time between second base and third base.

The Angels’ starting infield Saturday had produced 37 RBIs entering the game: second baseman Donnie Hill had 20, third baseman Rick Schu had 10, first baseman Lee Stevens had six and shortstop Dick Schofield had one. Schofield played Saturday for the first time since last Sunday, when he injured his right shoulder.

Howell, who was hitting .208 with 19 RBIs, said he wasn’t shocked at being optioned. “Once Devon (White) was sent down, I figured having the same numbers he had and having struggled at the plate the first part of the season, it could happen to me, too,” Howell said.

Angel broadcaster Joe Torre, still awaiting word from the St. Louis Cardinals on their managing job, said a report from New York that he had already signed a three-year contract was false.

Bob McClure pitched two simulated innings Friday and will throw again Monday in Minnesota. . . . After committing their 89th error Friday, the Angels are seven short of their total for 1989. . . . After striking out seven times Friday, the Angels totaled 606 strikeouts. Among AL teams, only the Texas Rangers--at 646 before Saturday’s game--have struck out more.