A Mission Impossible? : Not for Angels : Baseball: They score seven in bottom of ninth and beat Blue Jays, 14-13, in the 10th.

It the most remarkable comeback since Dick Schofield’s grand slam capped an eight-run ninth inning to carry the Angels to a victory over Detroit in August of 1986.

The Angels scored seven runs in the ninth and beat the Blue Jays, 14-13, Friday night before 20,413 at Anaheim Stadium when Damion Easley’s two-out single scored Tim Salmon in the 10th inning.

Harold Reynolds, the 11th batter of the ninth inning, hit a ground-rule double over the head of Toronto right-fielder Joe Carter that bounced into the seats Friday night and carried the Angels into extra innings tied, 13-13.

It was the capping blow of a most improbable seven-run rally after the Angels had given up five runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to let a 6-3 lead become a 13-6 deficit.

The question about the Angels all along has been pitching. The Angels feel they have the lineup to compete evenly with the best teams in baseball, but how will they fare in the arms race?

If Friday night is any indication, it’s going to be a long summer for the Angels on the mound.

Rookie first baseman Eduardo Perez had a pair of bases-empty home runs, Tim Salmon hit a two-run homer, Dwight Smith drove in two more and the Angels had a 6-3 lead in the eighth inning.

Nine Toronto Blue Jay batters later, however, the Angels were trailing by two runs. And one inning after that, Toronto led by seven.

The Angel rebounded with five singles, three walks, a sacrifice fly and Reynolds’ big blow.

Rookie Brian Anderson got his second for the Angels and weathered a sometimes rocky six innings, giving up four hits and three runs. But thanks to the Salmon-Perez Power Co., he was in position to pick up his second victory.

Or so it seemed. Scott Lewis was summoned to provide relief and cruised through a 1-2-3 seventh. Then lightning--and reality--struck and the Blue Jays reenacted batting practice for the folks who arrived late.

Devon White led off with a double to right-center and, one out later, Paul Molitor walked. Joe Carter hit a slow roller to third and when Easley bobbled the ball, the bases were loaded.

Manager Buck Rodgers called for left-hander Bob Patterson to face left-hand hitting John Olerud. So much for the percentages. Olerud, who won the batting title last season, lined a two-run single to center.

Mike Butcher was next to emerge from the Angel bullpen and, like those before and after, soon to leave with his head humbly hung. Ed Sprague greeted him with a double down the left-field line. Pat Borders followed with a single to left and Toronto led, 8-6.

Butcher gave up three consecutive hits--by White, Alomar and Molitor--and two runs in the ninth before giving way to Bill Sampen, who got an out after Carter’s rocket to deep center ran out of fuel on the warning track. But Olerud singled and then rookie left fielder Carlos Delgado lined an opposite-field homer to left, his seventh of the year.

Nice bullpen.

Anderson, whose superb control is already almost legendary--he walked just six while striking out 98 during the 1993 season at Wright State University--was victimized by his lack of command and throwing accuracy in the third and seventh innings.

Toronto scored the game’s first run when Sprague led off the third with a walk, took third when Anderson’s pick-off throw eluded Perez and scored on White’s single to left.

With one out in the seventh, Anderson hit Alomar in the back and then almost started a brawl when he walked menacingly toward Alomar as Alomar glared at him on his way to first.

Alomar scored on Molitor’s double to left and, after Carter struck out, Olerud sliced a line-drive double to left to drive in Molitor. Anderson got Delgado to ground to shortstop to end the inning.