Angels’ Fetters Overcomes Himself, Boston : Baseball: Pitching in relief of Langston, he controls emotions and beats Red Sox, 9-5.

Angel Manager Doug Rader says right-hander Mike Fetters has enough talent to win in the major leagues, and catcher Lance Parrish is sure Fetters has all the requirements to be a complete pitcher. “When he gets things working, he can be as tough as anybody,” Parrish said.

Only Fetters seems to doubt his ability. “Everyone’s been telling me forever and ever I’ve got the stuff to be successful, but I don’t trust myself,” he said. “I go out there and think, ‘Am I just lucky?’ For some reason, when it gets to starting, I start thinking, ‘Do I deserve to start?’ ”

There was little question Fetters deserved the victory he earned Sunday, when the Angels outslugged the Boston Red Sox, 9-5, before 28,207 at Anaheim Stadium.

Called in to relieve Mark Langston, who left after four innings because of a strained right hip flexor muscle, Fetters pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings to drop the Red Sox 5 1/2 games out of first place in the AL East and give the Angels their first three-game winning streak at home since July 1-3. Backed by Shawn Abner’s career-best four-RBI day, Fetters (1-3) recorded his first victory since a relief appearance July 7, 1990, in Milwaukee.

His next appearance probably will be as a starter. Rader said Langston’s injury “might require some rest” and named Fetters a leading candidate to step into the rotation. Fetters was 0-2 in his attempt to win a starting berth earlier this season, but Rader was impressed by what he saw Sunday.

“It certainly was his best work. He pitched extremely well,” Rader said.

Fetters’ future hinges on controlling his emotions as carefully as his pitches, Rader added. “Mike’s problems aren’t mechanical,” he said. “Being able to stay within himself has been.”

Said Fetters, who was alerted to Langston’s difficulties in the third inning: “Instead of going out there trying to do too much today, they told me to just go out and make your pitches. I had started to wonder whether I could get big leaguers out.”

Abner wiped out a 5-2 Red Sox lead with a three-run shot down the line in left off Joe Hesketh (8-3) in the fourth inning.

The Angels surged ahead in the fifth inning on an outburst that was triggered when Wally Joyner reached second base after Tom Brunansky was slow to retrieve his blooper to right field. After Dave Winfield walked, Lance Parrish dumped an 0-and-2 pitch into right for a run-scoring single. Junior Felix singled to score Winfield, and Abner’s double drove in the eighth run.

“Wally Joyner hustled us into a big inning,” Rader said.

Joyner deferred the praise to his teammates. “If nobody hit behind me, I wouldn’t have scored,” Joyner said.

Fetters would love to get credit for a victory as a starter. “I was glad they gave me the opportunity, but I didn’t make the most of it,” he said of his previous attempt in the rotation. “I’m fortunate that maybe I’ll have another chance to get back out there. Hopefully I’ll make the most of it this time.”