Angels Crumble in 10th : Baseball: Butcher walks in winning run after Smith’s blunders in 3-2 loss to Indians.

Angel reliever Mike Butcher reared back and kicked the Gatorade cooler Wednesday night, knocking it to the ground. He grabbed an empty box, and tossed it toward the on-deck circle.

Then, as if he had not inflicted enough damage, Butcher grabbed the cooler with two hands, and flung it all the way to the first-base coach’s box.

While it was Butcher losing his cool after walking in the game-winning run in the Angels’ 3-2, 10th-inning defeat to the Cleveland Indians, he actually was venting the frustrations of the Angel team.

It was a game the Angels could have won--particularly with starter Phil Leftwich yielding only five hits and two runs in 8 2/3 innings--should have won, and lost. Instead, Cleveland won its 10th consecutive home game, much to the delight of 32,938 fans at Jacobs Field.

“I wanted to get it all out of my system before I walked in here,” said Butcher, gesturing at the new clubhouse. “I wanted to let it go out there before coming back in here and facing the music.”

Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann summoned Butcher into his office afterward simply to reassure him that he liked his aggressive pitching style. He was assured that he’ll be right back out there again in the same situation.

By the way, he also likes a guy who exhibits his emotions.

Although Butcher was the one who walked former teammate Rene Gonzales with the bases loaded to force in the winning run, no one seemed to feel worse than left fielder Dwight Smith.

Smith made a baserunning gaffe and a fielding blunder that ultimately cost the Angels the game.

“I feel worse about this than anybody,” Smith said.

With the score tied, 2-2, Smith led off the ninth with a grounder to third baseman Jim Thome. Thome fired the ball over the head of first baseman Paul Sorrento down the right-field line.

Smith, however, was running at full speed down the line and didn’t realize the ball was past him until it was too late. He made a move toward second base, changed his mind, and walked back to first.

Second baseman Carlos Baerga noticed the move. He threw quickly to Sorrento, and first-base umpire Ted Hendry called him out. Smith and Lachemann vehemently argued, but to no avail.

The gaffe grew significantly when Jim Edmonds followed with a double into the left-center gap, and was left stranded. Then, after Chili Davis ended the top of the 10th inning by grounding into a double play with runners on first and third, Smith made the critical fielding mistake.

Wayne Kirby led off the bottom of the 10th with a single to left field off reliever Bob Patterson. Carlos Baerga grounded out, forcing Kirby at second. Lachemann brought in Butcher to face right-handed hitter Albert Belle.

Belle, on a hit-and-run, then lined a single to left. Baerga rounded second but slipped and fell. It appeared to be a huge break for the Angels. But Smith overran the ball, enabling Baerga to reach third. Then, thinking Baerga might be heading home, he threw to third, letting Belle reach second.

The Angels had no choice but to intentionally walk Eddie Murray and take their chances on Gonzales.

Gonzales took the first pitch for a ball and fouled off the second pitch. He didn’t swing again. Fastball, Ball 2. Fastball, Ball 3. Fastball, low, Ball 4.

Ballgame.