Once In, Valenzuela Gets Them Out : Baseball: He has to produce identification to enter the park in Little Rock. Then he pitches a two-hit shutout.

Fernando Valenzuela made his third--and possibly final--minor league start for the Angel organization his best, pitching a seven-inning, two-hit, 4-0 victory for Midland of the double-A Texas League on Saturday night.

Arkansas, the league’s weakest hitting team, chased Valenzuela pitches throughout the game.

In the final inning, the Travelers’ Mike Fiore doubled sharply down the left-field line and John Sellick walked on a full count. But Jose Fernandez chased the first pitch to him, popping out to second. Cliff Brannon and Tripp Cromer flied out to right.

Valenzuela’s biggest problem was getting into the ballpark. As Angel officials and teammates fretted over his whereabouts, Valenzuela was denied admission to the stadium parking lot until an attendant carefully checked his picture identification.

Angel Manager Doug Rader said in Toronto that a decision on Valenzuela’s status will be made by club officials, probably early next week. He might replace rookie Scott Lewis in the Angel rotation as soon as next weekend.

Valenzuela said before the game he was ready to throw 100 to 120 pitches, but he threw 78--47 for strikes. He threw 84 in four innings May 22 for Class-A Palm Springs and 91 for Midland in Jackson, Miss., last Monday.

He did not allow any earned runs in three games.

“Every pitch was working fine,” Valenzuela said. “The main thing is I was staying ahead of the hitters all the time. I think that’s great.”

He called his pitch total “outstanding” and said, “I don’t know if I can do it again, go seven innings and throw under 80.”

Last Monday in Jackson, he walked the bases loaded in the first inning. On Saturday, he had no control problems, giving up two walks.

“I used all my stuff, and it was working fine,” said Valenzuela, who initially relied on his fastball and then started mixing in curves and screwballs to retire the side in order in four of the seven innings. He struck out five.

Angel executive Preston Gomez said: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give (Valenzuela’s outing) a 10. If he can be around the plate and get ahead of hitters the way he did tonight, he can get major league hitters out, no question about it.”

Gomez watched all three of Valenzuela’s minor league outings.

“I was very pleased the way he threw the ball today,” he said. “The ball was moving.”

Matt Keough, a pitcher who is working with Angel pitchers while recovering from rotator cuff surgery, filmed Valenzuela’s performance to help Rader, pitching coach Marcel Lachemann and other team officials decide if and when to bring Valenzuela to Anaheim.

After more than 10 years with the Dodgers, Valenzuela was released at the end of March. The Angels signed him in May to a one-year contract believed to be worth $1 million to $1.25 million if he meets various incentives.

Bill Valentine, a former major league umpire who is general manager of the Travelers, a St. Louis Cardinal farm team, said the stadium seats 6,622. More than 9,000 showed up, standing near the right- and left-field bullpens and lining the warning track in right and left fields.

There were some boos and an occasional “You’re a has-been,” but there was more applause.