Mussina Shuts Down the Angels : Baseball: He gives up only five hits as the Orioles score their seventh consecutive victory, 4-1.

The mission Baltimore Manager Johnny Oates set for himself was a modest one.

“My first goal was not to let them (the Toronto Blue Jays) clinch it by Labor Day,” Oates said of the American League East division race. “All you get’s a handshake for being in first place by Labor Day.”

The Blue Jays won’t have the championship won by Monday--and if the Orioles continue at their present pace, Toronto might not win it at all.

Mike Mussina, who gave up five hits, struck out nine and walked none in eight innings and Gregg Olson pitched a perfect ninth inning Saturday night to lead Baltimore to a 4-1 victory over the Angels before 22,386 at Anaheim Stadium. The victory kept the Orioles half a game behind Toronto.

Brady Anderson stole two bases and scored two runs to spark the Orioles to their seventh consecutive victory, matching their season high. During that streak, they have gained two games on the Blue Jays, whom they have trailed since June 19.

“The burden’s on their back. They’re the ones trying to put us away and we’re the ones out there having fun,” Oates said.

“This has been outstanding for us. They’ve won seven out of 11 and they should be frustrated, not us.”

Frustration was the order of the night for Angel starter Jim Abbott (6-13), who spiked one ball and barely stopped himself from doing the same with his glove.

Abbott wasn’t as sharp as he has been for most of the past two months, giving up more than three earned runs for the first time in his last 11 starts. Still, he was annoyed at himself for not making several plays that few pitchers could have pulled off.

One was Mike Devereaux’s single up the middle during the fifth inning, which scored Anderson with Baltimore’s second run. But he was helpless on the line drive hit back at him by Chito Martinez during the sixth, which contributed to a two-run flurry.

“It’s not something I’m real proud of,” Abbott said of his public display of emotion. “I don’t like to do that and I’m embarrassed by it, but I’m just frustrated.

“I have to vent it. That’s sometimes how I run, on negative energy. You should never wear your heart on your sleeve. . . . I’m a competitive person. I have been since I was younger. I’m not sorry for that competitiveness. That’s one thing I’m happy I take out to the mound, competitiveness. But those (displays) aren’t always pretty things to see.”

After venting that anger, he quickly acknowledged that he didn’t pitch effectively.

“To dwell on those things is not the point tonight,” he said. “The Baltimore Orioles didn’t swing at a bad pitch. Maybe a couple. But they made me throw strikes and they swung at strikes. They beat me. I had a bad night and they took advantage of it, as good teams do.”

Abbott immediately subjected himself to pressure by walking Anderson on four pitches. And despite Abbott’s attempts to hold Anderson close at first, the former UC Irvine star did what he had done 46 times before this season: steal a base.

Randy Milligan flied to right and Mike Devereaux grounded to third, but Glenn Davis singled to left to score Anderson, the 89th run Anderson has scored this season.

The Angels pulled even in the second inning. After Mussina (14-5) struck out Tim Salmon and Lee Stevens, Chad Curtis got an infield hit. Gary DiSarcina then flied to left for the third out, but home plate umpire Durwood Merrill ruled that time had been called and nullified the pitch. Given another chance, DiSarcina singled to center, moving Curtis to third. Damion Easley then singled to right.

Baltimore closed the scoring with two out in the sixth inning. Chris Hoiles walked and took second when Abbott knocked down Martinez’s line drive. Hoiles scored on Mark McLemore’s single to left, with Martinez taking second. Abbott loaded the bases by walking Anderson and had an 0-and-1 count on Milligan when he unloosed a wild pitch, scoring Martinez.