BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Percival Endures Instant Replay

The marvels of modern technology: Only minutes after Troy Percival gave up Gary Gaetti’s game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night, the reliever was in the Angel clubhouse watching it on ESPN’s nightly baseball highlights show.

“I never saw the ball go out until I got in here,” Percival said. “It’s almost like they had it off the bat.”

It all happened too fast for Percival, 25, a right-hander. One moment he’s warming up after replacing Bob Patterson. One pitch later, he’s walking back to the dugout after Gaetti’s blast gave the Royals a 4-2 victory.

It marked the first time this season the Angels had lost a game that was decided in the seventh inning or later. They were previously 5-0 in such games.

It also marked the second time this season the Angels’ bullpen, which had an American League-leading 3.18 earned-run average Saturday, had lost a game. But Manager Marcel Lachemann hasn’t lost any confidence in Percival.

“That kind of loss can hurt you if you let it, but I’ll run him right back out there when the situation dictates it,” Lachemann said. “That stuff happens.”

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It wasn’t exactly a heads-up week for the Angel public relations department.

On Thursday the team issued a release stating that reliever Mike James was placed on the disabled list because of a “strained right neck.” His left neck, apparently, was OK.

After last Tuesday’s game, Lachemann said pitcher Mark Langston was hampered by a tight calf. The post-game quote sheet said Langston had “a tight cap.” Hey, it’s not easy pitching with a headache.