For Angels’ Snow, Season Ends Much as It Started

J.T. Snow might be one of the only players on the Angels who wishes the season could go on.

“I’m finally finding the holes, getting good pitches, and I’m not missing them,” said Snow, who went four for five and hit his 16th home run in the Angels’ 7-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics Sunday.

Snow spent a month in the minors after starting the season with rookie-of-the-year potential. He was recalled in August. Over his last 15 games, Snow batted .377.

“We know we played well early in the season,” Snow said, “and we know we can do it again. Next year, I think we can have some real success.”

The Angels avoided a last-place finish by taking two of three from the A’s, who became the first team since the 1986-87 Angels to go from division champions to last place in one season.

The A’s record of 68-94 was the American League’s worst.

Mark Langston (16-11) broke a personal five-game losing streak. He gave up all three runs in the first inning, then settled down as his offense bailed him out.

Langston struck out eight, walked two and gave up eight hits. He fanned Kurt Abbott leading off the seventh for his 2,000th career strikeout. Langston finished with an ERA of 3.20.

Damion Easley, who batted .313 in 73 games, ended up as the Angels’ leading hitter. The top hitter among regular players was Chad Curtis, who batted .285. Rookie Tim Salmon had a team-high 31 homers and 95 RBIs--second to Davis’ 112--before his season ended because of a broken ring finger in early September.