Brunansky’s Home Run Boosts Bolton to Victory Over Angels

Mark Langston, the $16-million left-hander who was supposed to pitch the Angels to a pennant, was outdone Tuesday by a journeyman left-hander who is making $1,865,000 less than Langston is this season but will be enjoying August and September a lot more while his team contends for the AL East title.

Tom Brunansky’s three-run home run in the sixth inning, Boston’s second home run of the night, lifted the Eastern Division-leading Red Sox to a 6-3 triumph over Langston and the Angels Tuesday at Anaheim Stadium. The defeat was the ninth in 10 decisions for Langston (5-14), who was attempting to earn back-to-back victories for the first time this season. However, he was bested by Tom Bolton (6-1), a longtime minor-leaguer who has recently been transformed into a starter by the pitching-poor Red Sox.

In one of the few bright notes for the Angels, Dave Winfield became the 67th major leaguer to get 2,500 hits, reaching that level with a first-inning single. Dave Parker of the Milwaukee Brewers also got his 2,500th hit this season.

Bolton’s $135,000 salary pales in comparison with Langston’s 1990 salary of $1.5 million and bonus of the same amount, but his performance was superior as the Red Sox won for the seventh time in eight games and stayed two games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays. Bolton gave up nine hits, including a fifth-inning home run by Brian Downing, before yielding to Rob Murphy with one out in the ninth.

The Angels have scored only 18 runs in Langston’s 14 losses, but he undermined his own cause Tuesday by giving up the home runs to Tony Pena and Brunansky, in addition to a run-scoring single to Mike Greenwell in the fourth. Langston, who struck out two and walked two, is 1-9 with two no-decisions in his last 12 starts.

The Angels are 4-13 against the AL East and West leaders--2-5 against Boston and 2-8 against the Oakland A’s.

Winfield’s milestone hit came in the midst of a first-inning flurry that gave the Angels a 1-0 lead. The ball was returned to the Angels’ dugout for safekeeping, as Winfield smiled in response to the applause generated by a message on the scoreboard.

Downing began the inning with a single to center. Donnie Hill was called out for interfering with catcher Tony Pena while Downing tried to steal second, and Downing had to return to first. Devon White walked on four pitches, with Downing moving to second, and Winfield followed with his hit, a chopper that caromed off the glove of second baseman Jody Reed and into short right field. Reed recovered in time to throw Downing out at home.

White took second on the hit and scored when Lee Stevens grounded a single through the left side. Lance Parrish walked, loading the bases, but Johnny Ray ended the inning with a fly ball to right.

The Red Sox matched that run in the third inning. Brunansky led off with a walk and was thrown out stealing second. Pena then slammed a one-and-two pitch into the left field seats for his sixth home run of the season. Reed rapped a two-out single to extend his hitting streak to nine games, but Langston got Carlos Quintana to ground into an inning-ending force play.

Angel Notes

Chili Davis, on the disabled list since July 14 because of a strained lower back, could be activated today. Manager Doug Rader planned to discuss a personnel move with General Manager Mike Port after Tuesday’s game. “Actually, I feel better than I did when I went on the DL,” said Davis, who was hitting .272 with 40 runs batted in when he was idled.

AL strikeout and earned-run average leader Roger Clemens, scheduled to start against the Angels Thursday, might have his turn postponed until Friday at Seattle.