Angel Critic Changes Tune : Baseball: The team’s fourth consecutive victory is music to the ears of Langston, who beats the Red Sox, 4-1.

Angel starter Mark Langston sat in the trainer’s room Friday, peeked into the clubhouse at his teammates celebrating their 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, and his face broke into a sheepish grin.

This is crazy, he was telling himself, absolutely absurd.

It was only four months ago that he was incensed at the Angels and could not care less if he threw another pitch for him.

He was so angry that he had his agent telephone Whitey Herzog, Angel senior vice president, telling him that he would be more than willing to waive his no-trade clause. Please, he implored them, send him to a contender.

It was agonizing enough to watch the Angels allow Bryan Harvey to leave during the expansion draft, but then after they traded starter Jim Abbott, he simply could not take any more.

He publicly chastised the organization, saying not only had it become the laughingstock of the league, but would have difficulty competing with the triple-A Albuquerque Dukes.

“I was frustrated, no doubt about it,” Langston said. “I said some things I shouldn’t have said. It was right after Jimmy was traded. We were close friends, and I was frustrated.”

Now, the first-place Angels are 10-4 after their fourth consecutive victory, before 37,463 at Anaheim Stadium on Friday night.

“It kind of looks like some people are starting to believe in us now,” said rookie right fielder Tim Salmon, who drove in two runs against loser Frank Viola (3-1). “I think all along we believed in ourselves, but now we’re being joined.”

Said Langston: “I’m surprised, I’m very surprised to see the young guys produce at this level. And after seeing (J.T. Snow) play the game . . . let’s just say he’s a very talented player.

“I hope I eat crow all year on that count.”

While Snow got two singles, increasing his batting average to .392, this night belonged to Langston.

Langston (2-0) picked up where Seattle starter Chris Bosio left off, and was only two outs away from ensuring the Red Sox a spot in the record book. The Red Sox, who were no-hit by Bosio on Thursday night, nearly set the major league record for fewest hits in consecutive games. They had only one hit entering the ninth inning, but Bob Zupcic hit a one-out double and Carlos Quintana singled to prevent the indignity while also scoring their first run in 28 innings.

“The only good thing about the no-hitter,” Red Sox Manager Butch Hobson said, “was that everybody’s family got to see a lot of them, because it was on TV all day.

“But there wasn’t a whole lot of good coming from this one.”

Hobson went so far as to ask the umpiring crew for the baseball when Mike Greenwell doubled with two out in the fourth. Why not? It was the Red Sox’s first hit in 42 at-bats.

“I know how they feel,” said Langston, who threw only 107 pitches. “I mean, right now, everything’s going right for us.”

Angel Manager Buck Rodgers’ biggest concern during these two weeks had been his starting rotation, but after Finley’s two-hit shutout and Langston’s three-hitter, now that is solved. It’s the fewest hits given up in consecutive nights by Angel starters since May 31-June 1, 1975, and that included a no-hitter by Nolan Ryan.

“The way Mark was pitching tonight,” Rodgers said, “it looked like he could go 12 innings.”

Hobson said he already was quite familiar with Langston’s talent, but after watching Salmon and Snow, he is beginning to get the idea why the Angels are in first place.

“When they made that trade,” Hobson said, “I thought they lost a pretty good pitcher. I didn’t realize they got back such a good hitter.”

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Snow’s run is that he has overshadowed center fielder Chad Curtis’ 10-game hitting streak and .360 average and Salmon’s 11 runs bated in.

“Those guys are having good starts themselves,” Rodgers said, “but everyone is focused so much on J.T. It allows them to sit back and relax while J.T. handles all the bull.

“Right now, J.T. is just hot. He knows he’s in a run, and he wants to take advantage of it, and ride it as far as it will go.”