Rookie Is the Spark for Angels : Baseball: Bobby Rose doubles twice to pace a 15-hit attack in a 10-2 victory over the Yankees.

The Angels’ offensive drought ended Sunday when a Rose bloomed.

Rookie infielder Bobby Rose, making his first start since being recalled from triple-A Edmonton July 7, provided a spark the Angels had lacked during a seven-game losing streak. He had two doubles and drove in two runs, pacing their 15-hit spree in a 10-2 runaway victory over the New York Yankees at Anaheim Stadium.

“His first double was a big double for us,” Angel catcher Ron Tingley said. “It may take a guy like that coming up and getting a hit to get us going.”

Rose’s first drive came with two out and hit the fence in front of the left-field bullpen to deliver two runs. It was the Angels’ first multiple-run inning in 60 innings. Dave Winfield’s single scored Rose for a 5-1 Angel lead.

Every starter except Luis Polonia got at least one hit against rookie right-hander Wade Taylor (4-4) and a succession of relievers.

“We had to look to a guy from the minor leagues to beat a guy they called up,” Winfield said, referring to Rose.

“I can’t remember playing on a team that got so few hits and so few runs over a stretch. It was pitiful.

“Will this turn it around? You don’t know. But I’m glad everybody contributed. The game isn’t so hard as everybody here has made it out to be the last few days.”

But Sunday’s game wasn’t easy for Chuck Finley in the early going. The left-hander gave up a run in the first on a walk and two singles and put runners in scoring position in the second and third innings.

The Angels, who moved back within four games of the division-leading Twins, had scored only one run in their previous 41 innings and four runs in 56. The crowd of 36,150 enjoyed the Angels’ best offensive showing since they routed the Royals, 10-3, on July 2.

“The main thing on my mind was trying to keep the game close, because I didn’t know if we were going to break out of this thing,” Finley said after becoming the first 13-game winner in the American League.

“I wanted to keep the game close to give them a chance to break out. Bobby Rose had a big hit. We had a couple of guys on base on walks (Saturday) and didn’t score, and for him to get a hit there, it was a real big hit for Bobby. He’s been up and down a lot. I don’t think he knows where he is.”

After being summoned from Edmonton three times this season, Rose might be too jet-lagged to know what time zone he’s in. But he knew where he was Sunday: in the winning clubhouse.

“These guys are great. They’re awesome. They treat me like I’m part of the team,” said Rose, who has five doubles among his eight hits this season.

“I just don’t want to screw anything up for these guys.”

All that he ruined was the Yankees’ attempt to sweep the four-game series and win for the 14th time in 17 games.

Taylor, the third consecutive rookie starter to face the Angels, fought control problems from the outset and was gone after 3 2/3 innings. He walked seven, including Polonia on four pitches to start the game. Polonia stole second and third and scored when Taylor’s balk.

“I talked to Doug (Rader, Angel manager) yesterday or the day before and told him it was time for me to go out there and just go, that it was time for me to push myself to score some runs,” Polonia said.

“If I get to first, I’m going to go. That’s going to be my game from now on. They’re not going to stop me. They better be ready.”

Singles by Wally Joyner, Dave Parker and Gary Gaetti in the third inning gave the Angels a 2-1 lead, their first three-hit inning in 59 and the first time in 42 innings they had a lead. Rose’s double gave Finley some breathing room, and the Angels added two runs in the fifth inning and three in the eighth against former Dodger Tim Leary to turn the game into a rout.

Rose, who also doubled in the seventh, enjoyed his moment but had no illusions.

“I know my role here is as a utility player,” said Rose, whose most recent recall came when Jack Howell cut his right index finger and couldn’t throw.

“That’s what it’s going to be, and I accept it. . . . Of course, I’d like to play every day, but I want to stay here. I like this organization.”

The only head hanging in the Angels’ clubhouse Sunday belonged to a plastic doll called the Happy Camper. The plastic toy was the target of someone’s frustration Saturday, when its head was separated from its body and later hoisted from a ceiling pipe by a noose made of adhesive tape.

“I’m glad to see the doll up there instead of one of our players,” Max Venable said, smiling. “The way we were going, I think some of us were thinking about doing ourselves in.”

Angels Attendance

Sunday: 36,150

1991 (44 dates): 1,422,982

1990 (44 dates): 1,393,599

Increase: 29,383

1991 average: 31,673