Fastest Start for an Angel Suits Langston Just Fine

File away those Frank Tanana memories. Scratch Bert Blyleven, too. There’s another guy who is off to the fastest start of any Angel pitcher in history, and his name is Mark Langston.

The Angel left-hander, mowing down opposing batters like a John Deere mower slashes through grass, earned his sixth consecutive victory Saturday to improve his record to 9-1 as the Angels defeated Chicago for a second consecutive night, this time 5-4.

Other than one inning, Langston was superb. He allowed four runs and six hits in eight innings before being excused for the evening by Angel Manager Buck Rodgers when he walked Ellis Burks to start the ninth.

“It was automatic,” Rodgers said. “He was feeling good, his pitches were in order, and if he looked good to Burks, I was going to take it hitter by hitter.”

Once Ball 4 crossed the plate, though, Rodgers turned first to Gene Nelson and then to Steve Frey, who collected his seventh save.

Tanana started 8-1 for the Angels in 1978 and Blyleven went 7-2 in 1989. Langston also was 7-2 after nine decisions in 1991, but never has an Angel pitcher gone 9-1 in 11 decisions to start a season.

It was something Langston did not learn until after Saturday’s game, and it was something he said he will not dwell on.

Not with a start against first-place Kansas City scheduled for Thursday and a division race that is getting closer as the days get longer.

“I really don’t think you can,” he said. “This game is too tough to pat yourself on the back and say, ‘Gee, what a great job you’re doing.’ It’s a team game. I’m 9-1 because the team has played well.

“I realize I wouldn’t be 9-1 if guys weren’t playing well behind me.”

Langston handcuffed the White Sox for 4 2/3 innings without a hit before Carlton Fisk laced a single into left.

Then, Langston ran into difficulty in the sixth--after the Angels had scored two in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead--when he allowed Tim Raines and Burks to double and Craig Grebeck and Frank Thomas to single. The White Sox scored three runs off Langston before the inning ended.

“We had a big fifth inning, and I lost my rhythm,” Langston said. “The next thing you know, sure enough, they pushed three runs across.”

But Langston quickly regrouped, retiring six of the next seven batters he faced before walking Burks to lead off the ninth.

While his earned-run average rose slightly, to 2.42, it is still low enough to keep him second in the American League behind the Yankees’ Jimmy Key.

And besides, there was one statistic that didn’t change: Langston hasn’t lost a decision since May 8 to Oakland.

“When you’re 9-1, eight games over .500, you’re throwing the ball pretty good,” Rodgers said. “Mark has been outstanding for us. He’s having a career year. And we’ve blown a couple of saves in games he’s started or he could (be having) a better year.

“He’s turned into a complete pitcher. He handles himself better, he handles the game better, the whole discipline.”

The only problem was, Langston, once removed from the game, wasn’t even around to see the conclusion in person. He was watching on television in the clubhouse.

Turns out Langston gets more nervous when he’s not on the mound.

“I can’t sit in the dugout,” he said. “I’ve never been able to. I’ve got to come in here (the clubhouse) and watch it from here.”

Wherever the view, his starts have turned out fine for the Angels.