Eight Is More Than Enough for the Angels : Baseball: They end losing streak by routing the Rangers, 14-4, as Davis hits two home runs and drives in seven runs.

The Angels acknowledge that it’s too late to do anything about this season, and they are not about to insult anyone’s intelligence by claiming they are still in a pennant race.

But in halting an eight-game losing streak with a 14-4 rout Saturday night over the Texas Rangers, with designated hitter Chili Davis driving in a career-high seven runs in hitting two homers, including a grand slam, the Angels unloaded a season’s worth of frustration.

Everyone in the lineup reached base at least twice in the 18-hit attack. Davis hit a home run from each side of the plate for the eighth time in his career and center fielder Chad Curtis drove in four runs with his career-high 11th homer.

“We had to win a game eventually,” said Davis, whose third-inning grand slam triggered the assault. “Man, we had reached the bottom of the barrel. That perfect game against us was big-time embarrassment.

“Believe me, we needed this one.”

It was a night the Angels (43-62) not only proved to themselves they can win again, before a record 46,679 at the Ballpark in Arlington, but most important, they have management believing in them.

For the first time in two years, the Angels might be leaving town tonight with an All-Star closer on their pitching staff.

“I can’t tell you how much that would mean to our club,” Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out we need one.

“A closer separates the championship clubs from the rest of the group. If you don’t have one, you can forget it. I think we proved that this year.”

Said starter Chuck Finley: “Obviously, it’s too late for this year. But if we get someone who can intimidate people, like we had with Harv (Bryan Harvey), things will be different.

“Believe me, it would be a huge lift for this pitching staff.”

The Angels (43-62) will learn today whether General Manager Bill Bavasi can acquire All-Star closer Rick Aguilera of the Minnesota Twins. They also have expressed interest in closers John Wetteland of Montreal, Randy Myers of the Chicago Cubs and Jeff Montgomery of Kansas City.

But their most serious negotiations have been with the Twins, confirmed Saturday by Twin General Manager Andy MacPhail. The trouble, however, is that the Angels still must persuade the Twins to budge from their hefty demands.

The Twins, according to team sources, were seeking first baseman J.T. Snow; starter Brian Anderson (7-5), who won Saturday, or Andrew Lorraine; triple-A reliever Troy Percival; and minor league prospect Ryan Hancock or Jeff Schmidt. The Twins have also inquired about the availability of starter Phil Leftwich, but he has yet to surface in any trade proposals.

But as much as Bavasi covets Aguilera--a three-time All-Star who has saved at least 30 games for four consecutive years--he can’t create more voids to solve one problem. Bavasi figures he can afford to give up a left-handed starter, particularly if the Angels sign free-agent Jim Abbott this winter, but a four-for-one deal is too steep.