BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Grahe Is Given a Second Chance

After he gave up a grand slam to Albert Belle during an 8-4 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday, Joe Grahe wasn’t sure the Angels would trust him in another close game.

So when he was summoned to protect a 2-1 lead during the seventh inning Saturday, he was determined to justify their faith in him.

“I was just happy they put me back out there after the other night. Sticking with me showed a lot of confidence, and I didn’t want to screw up this game,” said Grahe, who gave up a hit and a walk as he preserved Chuck Crim’s victory and earned his fourth save in four chances. “This completely erases the other night, and I can look forward to the second half.”

Whether he will remain in the bullpen or rejoin the starting rotation after the All-Star break will depend on how well Bryan Harvey recovers from a sore elbow and whether Bert Blyleven rebounds from four consecutive shaky starts. Grahe might start if Jim Abbott’s pulled rib-cage muscle doesn’t heal by July 20, but Grahe has no preference about his role.

Crim has pitched 10 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out eight in his last three appearances since altering his delivery.

“I wish we would have thought of it sooner,” Crim said of the change from throwing over the top to a three-quarters delivery. “If we had, I wouldn’t be in a hole so bad as I am right now. I still have the whole second half to do something, anyway.”

Luis Polonia, scratched from Saturday’s lineup because of a jammed left hand, probably won’t play today. . . . Ken Oberkfell’s second-inning single was his first hit as an Angel and first major league hit since last July 23 for the Houston Astros at St. Louis. . . . Even after winning two consecutive games for the first time since June 26-27, the Angels are on a pace to lose 98 games. The club record for losses in a season is 95, set in 1968 and matched in 1980.