McDonald Gets Serious, Trims ERA : Baseball: A prankster off the field, the Orioles’ pitcher is all business while shutting out Angels.

Baltimore Oriole pitcher Ben McDonald has cemented his reputation as the Crocodile Dundee of the American League.

The 1988 U.S. Olympic team ace and former Louisiana State University standout used to wrestle alligators for fun and even hid a live one--OK, it was just a three-foot runt of a reptile with its mouth taped shut--in teammate Bob Milacki’s locker as a spring-training prank this season.

But the highly touted, 23-year-old right-hander had his mind set on a more serious task Friday night--getting his earned-run average into the land down under 12.

After missing the first 10 days of the season because of an elbow injury, McDonald started two games, against the White Sox and Brewers, who combined to rough him up for 10 runs on 15 hits in 7 1/3 innings, leaving him with an unsightly 12.27 ERA entering Friday night’s game against the Angels.

McDonald cleaned that up in a hurry, allowing no runs and two hits in six innings as the Orioles defeated the Angels, 2-0.

Mark Williamson relieved McDonald to start the seventh inning, but not before McDonald, named the American League’s best pitching prospect in a poll of league managers by the Toronto Sun last season, sliced and diced his ERA to 6.75. He evened his record to 1-1.

“I’m not that concerned about the ERA, I’m just glad I threw the ball better,” McDonald said. “I had a good curve and a good changeup. The fastball is not quite there yet, but I feel more comfortable each time out there.”

McDonald was in pain for much of April. Just as he did in 1990, his first full professional season, McDonald didn’t make it out of spring training with his health this year.

Last season, he pulled a muscle in his rib cage and needed two months of rehabilitation in the minor leagues before returning to Baltimore.

This season, the 6-foot-7 McDonald, the first player selected in the 1989 draft, strained a muscle in his right elbow by throwing too many pitches on a cold, damp spring training day and was placed on the disabled list March 29.

He was set to return April 21, but the weather in Baltimore was cold and rainy and Manager Frank Robinson didn’t want to risk further damage to McDonald’s elbow.

But what was Robinson supposed to tell reporters who wanted to know why McDonald wasn’t pitching? Oooh, it’s just too cold for Ben today. Nah, too wimpy.

Hence, the fingernail defense. Robinson claimed McDonald couldn’t pitch because he had trimmed his fingernails too short and couldn’t grip a baseball properly.

Knowing the free-spirited McDonald, who still plays whiffle ball with his buddies during the off-season in Denham Springs, La., and who used to eat a can of mustard sardines as part of his pregame ritual, this excuse seemed highly logical.

But McDonald said it was a hoax.

“That was just something they said because they didn’t want me to pitch that day,” McDonald said. “I think Frank or one of the trainers made it up. Everyone was wondering what the heck was going on. It made me look bad.”

Not as bad as McDonald looked in his first two starts, though. He allowed six runs on nine hits against the White Sox in an 8-7 loss April 19.

“I felt real awkward in that game,” said McDonald, who went 8-5 with a 2.43 ERA in 21 games last season. “I was overstriding and had no location.”

Last Sunday, McDonald gave up four runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings against the Brewers. It was his fastest exit as a starter and the most hits he had allowed in a major league game.

“I had better location that game,” McDonald said. “It was too good. I was putting the ball right down the middle.”

McDonald got off to a shaky start Friday, walking Luis Polonia on four pitches to start the game and then throwing a ball to Luis Sojo. Pitching coach Al Jackson came out to talk to McDonald, and whatever he said worked--eventually.

Sojo singled to right, but Polonia was thrown out at third by right fielder Joe Orsulak on the play. Wally Joyner and Dave Winfield then grounded out to end the inning, and McDonald went on to retire 15 of the next 17 batters. Sojo had the only other hit off McDonald, a single to left in the sixth.

“The guys got me out of a jam in the first inning,” McDonald said. “That gave me some confidence and I was able to get some guys out after that. I was able to get into a groove.”