Anderson, Angels Tune Out Early, Lose to Twins, 8-6

The Anderson family was home in Geneva, Ohio, scanning the channels Tuesday night on their satellite dish trying to tune into the Angels’ game against the Minnesota Twins, which would end up an 8-6 defeat.

They couldn’t stand the idea of not being able to watch their son, Angel starter Brian Anderson, pitch his first game in a month. But if they had to, they would resort to the archaic method.

“I know it sounds ridiculous,” said Janice Anderson, Brian’s mother, “but we’ve sat up all night just keeping it on CNN and watching the ticker constantly update the score.

“It can be maddening, but sometimes, you don’t have any choice.”

Janice and Jim Anderson were finally able to locate the game on their dish and stayed up past 2 a.m. watching the Angels (24-34) lose for the eighth time in nine games, but they did have one question when the game finally ended.

Was that really their son who started for the Angels in front of 16,045 at Anaheim Stadium?

The reception was fuzzy, and sometimes it was difficult to tell who was pitching, but it sure didn’t look like the son they remembered. He gave up five hits, walked four batters and allowed four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

“Mechanically, I was brutal,” Anderson said. “Throwing strikes is usually what I’m best at. I fell behind everyone early.”

Said Janice Anderson: “Well, I guess everybody’s entitled to a bad one now and then. But really, I’m just amazed that he’s back as fast as he is. His spirits were good during the whole time. He never got down.”

Anderson (3-1), making his first start since May 6 when he broke his left thumb, was annoyed with his control problems. He can’t remember walking four batters in a game in his life. He walked only six batters his entire junior season at Wright State.

“I’m not going to make any excuses,” Anderson said. “You’re supposed to come back at 100%. I’m not going to get down on myself because I can’t afford to mope around. Just come back at them in five (days).”

Anderson fell behind eight of the 17 batters he faced, walking three in the second inning. Yet, the Angels still provided him a 3-1 lead entering the third inning, thanks to shortstop Gary DiSarcina’s two-run double in the second inning.

Yet, in the third inning, Anderson could no longer contain the Twins. DiSarcina rescued him by leaping to catch Shane Mack’s line drive for the first out. Kirby Puckett followed by hitting a double to left. Dave Winfield walked. Pedro Munoz then flied to right for the second out.

Anderson got ahead of Scott Leius, but helplessly watched Leius hit a two-run double to left center. David McCarty followed with another double, and Anderson was out of the game.

Still, it appeared that the Angels could win the game after they took a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning when Chad Curtis hit a one-out double. Tim Salmon scored him with another double. And Chili Davis followed with a run-scoring single.

The lead stood while Mark Leiter continued to shut down the Twins until the eighth inning. He got the first two outs in the eighth when pinch-hitter Chip Hale hit a single up the middle. Chuck Knoblauch followed with another single, advancing Hale to second.

Lachemann, deciding that Leiter had enough after five innings, summoned closer Joe Grahe.

Grahe hit Mack on the second pitch, loading the bases for Puckett. Then, he hit Puckett, forcing in the tying run.

Winfield slapped a single up the middle, scoring Knoblauch and Mack for a 7-5 lead. The Twins added another run in the ninth when Leius led off with a homer to left field.

The Angels scored a run and had runners on second and third with one out in the ninth with Jim Edmonds at bat.

Rick Aguilera struck out Edmonds on a full count, and after falling behind 3-and-0 to J.T. Snow, winced when Snow hit a long drive to center. The ball reached the front of the track and fell into center fielder Alex Cole’s glove for the final out.