BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Valenzuela Wins for Double-A Midland

In his first start since June 12, Fernando Valenzuela gave up a run and three hits in five innings for the Angels’ double-A Midland, Tex., team. Valenzuela left with a 6-1 lead, and Midland went on to defeat the Shreveport Captains, 12-4.

Valenzuela, released by the Angels July 5 and re-signed to a minor league contract a week later, made 68 pitches, walking one and striking out two. Valenzuela is expected to make two more starts for Midland before joining triple-A Edmonton.

Third baseman Gary Gaetti had a new look Friday, and so did the Angels’ lineup. Gaetti wore glasses during batting practice. He isn’t wearing them during games, but does use them for driving. “My eyes have been itching and stuff, so I just wanted to get it looked at,” said Gaetti, who wore rimless frames. The new lineup had Gaetti hitting second, unusual for a power hitter.

“Second is a pretty strategic position. I like it,” said Gaetti, who couldn’t recall having hit second before. “It’s going to be a different set of circumstances, different people hitting in front of you and behind you and you may be called upon to do different things. It’s interesting. “

The Angels’ hitting slump is a mystery to hitting instructor Deron Johnson. The team hit .199 in the first seven games of this home stand, and before Friday had only two homers in its previous 12 games. The Angels had a team batting average of .259 through Thursday, their lowest point in a month.

“You try to figure a way to help somebody, get one or two guys going and hope everybody hits the ball after that,” Johnson said. “You look at the way Winny (Dave Winfield) hit the ball hard twice (Thursday), but right at somebody. Then he might start getting bloop hits that’ll get him out of it.

“You just have to ride it out. You hate to waste that good pitching we’ve been getting. But it’s a mistake for one guy to put too much pressure on himself, because then you stop doing what you do best.”