Venable Slam Is Grand : Baseball: Angels beat Royals, 10-3, to close within one game of division-leading Twins. Abbott wins seventh of last eight decisions.

Two souvenirs occupied places of honor in Max Venable’s locker Tuesday.

One was a brightly colored beachball, perhaps destined to become a toy for his children. The other was an American League baseball. To Venable, the baseball looked as fat and round as a beachball when he lined it into the right-field seats Tuesday for the first grand slam of his career, launching the Angels to a 10-3 rout of the Kansas City Royals at Anaheim Stadium before 23,546.

“It was a long time coming, but it came at a good time,” said Venable, who had 1,299 at-bats in the major leagues before he slammed an 0-and-1 pitch from Mark Gubicza (3-5) over the fence.

“I’m pretty pleased. I was just talking with my wife last night about all the opportunities I’ve had with the bases loaded, and how I’ve grounded out or grounded into a double play. It was a pretty exciting night.”

It was also the night the Angels moved within a game of the division-leading Minnesota Twins, the smallest deficit the Angels have faced since they were a game out on June 2. Minnesota is 45-33, the Angels 43-33. The Angels haven’t been atop the AL West since they shared the lead on April 20.

“It’d be nice to go into the All-Star break and be in first place,” said Venable, who hadn’t hit a home run since Aug. 10, 1990, against Pete Harnisch, then with Baltimore. “The key is not to relax and to be optimistic. We’re getting good pitching and good hitting.”

The Angels’ 15 hits against four Kansas City pitchers allowed Jim Abbott (7-5) to win for the seventh time in eight decisions despite a performance that was far from overpowering.

Abbott gave up two runs--both in the third inning--and eight hits over six innings. Although it was the first time in 11 starts he didn’t pitch at least into the seventh inning, he won for the first time against the Royals after five losses. He has failed to defeat only the A’s, with an 0-5 career record against Oakland.

“All year long, it seems we’ve never really gone on one of those big winning streaks, but we’ve scratched and clawed and hung in there,” said Abbott, who didn’t win his seventh game last season until July 29. “If we keep playing like we are, we can hang in there.

“It’s too early (to be concerned about first place). We just need to keep playing well.”

Manager Doug Rader was quietly content with his team’s strong showing, which included solid infield defense by second baseman Luis Sojo and third baseman Gary Gaetti. Both helped Abbott out of trouble in the early innings and gave him the chance to stay in long enough to earn the victory.

“I’ve always believed in the slow and steady. I’ve always believed in understatement,” Rader said. “I just like where we are. It doesn’t matter what I expect (to happen in the AL West). I think the reality of it is we’re in fine shape and we should be very grateful for the position we’re in.”

Wally Joyner added a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Gubicza, who lasted only two-thirds of an inning against the Angels in his last outing, last Wednesday at Kansas City. Dave Parker hit a homer with two out and the bases empty in the sixth inning to give the Angels double-digit run production for the third time in their last six games.

Parker, whose three hits moved him past Lafayette Cross and Ted Williams on the career hits list at 2,656, was as proud of Venable’s homer as of his own.

“The man’s been a home-run hitter for years. He’s a devastating home-run hitter,” Parker said, while Venable sat nearby with a doubting look on his face.

“He knew he was going to get it, too. He ran around first with his hands up. He’s the little big man. Probably the strongest guy on the team.”

As a reserve player, Venable has to be mentally strong if not physically powerful. He also endured a slow offensive stretch, which he has ended by collecting 10 hits in his last 21 at-bats.

None was more fulfilling, though, than the grand slam. Parker had led off the inning with a single but Lance Parrish and Gary Gaetti struck out. Singles by Donnie Hill and Sojo produced the first run, and a walk by Luis Polonia loaded the bases for Venable.

“Since the last road trip, I’ve been feeling better at the plate. The ball is starting not to find the opposition,” Venable said. “I was just hoping it would stay fair. I wasn’t trying to hit a home run. I was trying to put the ball into play hard.”

Reliever Mike Fetters and other bullpen residents got the baseball back from the youngster who caught it. Venable will treasure it, certainly for longer than he will the beachball.

“Hitting a grand slam is pretty exciting for anybody,” Venable said. “I have no complaints.”