Finley Leaves Door Open, Red Sox Steal Game, 6-5

Angel starter Chuck Finley’s eyes were fixed on the small TV monitor Friday night, his hand moving back and forth on the remote control.

Slow motion . . . fast forward . . . rewind. He watched the seven-second videotape segment of the Angels’ 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox in disbelief, wondering how it could possibly happen.

Sure, he had heard of such things, and there were plenty of people who had witnessed such a feat, but never did he imagine that one day it could happen to him.

He can deal with guys hitting game-winning homers off him. He can cope with being hammered because of bad pitches. But not this.

Not someone stealing home.

Not with two out in the seventh inning with their team trailing by one run.

Not the Red Sox.

Yet, as much as Finley was hoping that fate would change each time he watched the videotape, there it was in living color:

Billy Hatcher, running on his own volition from third base, breaking toward home on a three-and-one pitch to Mo Vaughn, and sliding underneath the tag of catcher Greg Myers for the tying run.

Two innings later, Vaughn capitalized on the adventure by hitting a one-out, bases-loaded single into right field off Craig Lefferts for the game-winner.

Hatcher immediately was lauded as a fearless hero by the 25,870 fans at Fenway Park. The Angels (8-9) felt as if they had given away a game, despite staying in first place. And Finley, who remains winless in four starts, appeared as if he were ready to strangle someone.

“That’s never happened to me in my life,” Finley said, “and I guarantee it won’t happen again. I’m not going to sit here and make excuses, but that never should have happened.”

Finley, who watched his teammates recover from a 4-0 deficit with a five-run fourth inning, thought for sure he would win this game . . . right up until the moment Hatcher stole home.

Protecting a 5-4 lead, Hatcher began the seventh by walking on five pitches. He advanced to second base when Finley threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from Myers. And he went to third when Mike Greenwell grounded out to shortstop Gary DiSarcina.

Designated hitter Tim Naehring, who had already doubled and singled against Finley, needed to only hit the ball over a drawn-in infield to tie the score. Finley never gave him the chance, striking him out on a 2-2 fastball.

Finley, now able to take a deep breath, wasn’t even concerning himself with Vaughn. The way he figured it, he could walk Vaughn with first base open and go after No. 6 hitter John Valentin.

Third baseman Damion Easley earlier warned Finley about Hatcher when Naehring was at the plate. Finley almost picked him off, but now he was simply concentrating on Vaughn.

He took a peek at Hatcher before each of the first four pitches he threw to Vaughn, but was not bothering to hold him close. In fact, he wasn’t pitching out of a stretch, going into his full delivery each time.

“We thought he might be jumping over there to get a balk,” Finley said. “We knew that wasn’t going to happen, but we didn’t think the other would happen either.”

Said Myers: “I mean, we all knew it was possible, but it was way back in our heads. I mean, that’s pretty rare. It’s never happened to me. It’s a gutsy thing to do.”

Said Angel hitting coach Rod Carew, who stole home 17 times in his career including seven times in one season: “To me, it’s the most exciting play in baseball. It can be one of the easiest bases to steal. But it was a stupid play the way they did it.”

Indeed, Vaughn had absolutely no idea that Hatcher was even coming. If he ball had come across the plate, he might have swung. Instead, he watched in disbelief like everyone else.

“I looked up quickly,” Vaughn said, “and all I could see was a big blue head coming right at me.”

Said Hatcher, who last stole home two years ago: “Once I got my jump, all I prayed for was that Mo wouldn’t swing.”

Vaughn never moved, watching Hatcher get nearly three-quarters down the line when Finley delivered. He hurriedly threw a fastball low and away. Myers reached for it, slapped the tag, but Hatcher’s left foot already was touching home plate.