Angels Aren’t Fielders Against Tigers, 12-5

Little could be said in--or about--the Angels’ defense Wednesday night.

Even less could be said in defense of their relief pitching.

Third baseman Jack Howell committed two errors and second baseman Donnie Hill and first baseman Lee Stevens committed one each to help Detroit score three unearned runs, but the Angels kept it close until their bullpen collapsed in a six-run Tiger ninth inning that gave Detroit a 12-5 victory.

“We had opportunities to put the game away and weren’t able to do it,” Manager Doug Rader said after his club lost its fourth consecutive game and fell below .500 again. “In the eighth inning, if we execute properly, I truly think we win it right there and we don’t run into the trouble we got into in the ninth.”

The Angels scored one run in the eighth to cut Detroit’s lead to 6-5. They loaded the bases with one out, but Dave Winfield struck out and pinch-hitter Rick Schu flied to left. They collapsed in the ninth, an inning highlighted by Travis Fryman’s bases-loaded triple on the first major league pitch thrown by reliever Jeff Richardson.

Angel starter Joe Grahe (2-4) was the victim of the defense, but he hardly helped his cause when he gave up a home run to Lou Whitaker in the first and a three-run homer to Mark Salas in the fourth.

“The one Salas hit was on a fastball down the middle, belt-high, and I deserve that if I make that kind of pitch,” said Grahe, who lasted 4 2/3 innings. “To Whitaker, I was just trying to get ahead with a breaking pitch.”

The four-error game was the Angels’ fourth this season and second in their last seven games. Their worst effort was a five-error game on May 16 at Milwaukee. They committed six in two games against Detroit and have been charged with 130 errors, second only to Milwaukee’s 137.

Walt Terrell (5-4) went the minimum five innings to earn his first victory at Anaheim Stadium after four losses, and Jerry Don Gleaton held off an Angel flurry in the eighth to earn his 11th save. In losing their fourth consecutive game, the Angels’ record against AL East opponents fell to 42-42, far below last season’s 50-24 record. They finished this home stand with a 5-4 record.

The Angels hit Terrell hard in the third, parlaying four hits into two runs and a 3-1 lead, but a defensive lapse proved costly in the fourth, when Detroit rallied to go ahead, 4-3. After Lloyd Moseby singled and was forced at second, Fryman reached on a hopper that was bobbled by third baseman Howell. Salas slammed the next pitch over the fence in right.

The Angels pulled even in the bottom of the inning on a single by Dick Schofield, Luis Polonia’s double down the left-field line and Hill’s sacrifice fly.

However, two more Angel errors in the fifth led to two more unearned runs for the Tigers.

Angel Notes

Devon White, who left Tuesday’s game with a bruised foot after being struck by a pitch from Jack Morris, felt well enough Wednesday to skip his scheduled X-rays. However, he was not in the starting lineup. Luis Polonia started in center field for the first time since Aug. 11.