Indians Give Angels a Look at Their Best : Baseball: Cleveland jumps to five-run lead before California fights back to tie. But Lee Smith loses game in 10th, 9-7.

There was a curtain call after the game-tying home run, predictable heroes and unlikely ones and a raucous crowd on hand to watch it.

Sure, it’s July, but Anaheim Stadium had the look, feel and sound of September on Monday night. The Angels and Cleveland Indians put on a show worthy of a late-season game between the American League’s premier teams.

They traded hits, homers and fine defensive plays long into a midsummer night.

Finally, doubles by Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez and a single by Paul Sorrento off Angel closer Lee Smith in the 10th inning gave Cleveland a 9-7 victory.

Smith went into game 0-1 with three saves and a 16.40 earned-run average in his last four appearances. He hardly resembled the man who earned a save in 19 consecutive appearances, a major league record.

Smith suffered his third loss and third blown save when he gave up a ninth-inning grand slam to Albert Belle in the Indians’ 7-5 victory last Tuesday at Jacobs Field.

Monday, Cleveland built a five-run lead in the top of the fourth inning, only to see the Angels storm back. Jim Edmonds’ two-run homer off reliever Julian Tavarez in the seventh eventually brought the Angels even at 7-7.

It was Edmonds’ 21st homer and he figured there was no doubt it would clear the left-center field fence. He dropped his bat as the ball headed for the fence, walked a few steps toward first base, then broke into a trot as the ball sailed over the Indians’ logo on the fence.

The announced crowd of 30,367 wouldn’t stop roaring until Edmonds, who homered once Sunday and twice Saturday, stepped from the dugout to acknowledge their cheers.

Right-hander Russ Springer put the Angels in serious trouble by giving up six runs in 3 1/3 innings. But Angel hitters kept plugging away, chipping at the lead and Cleveland starter Charles Nagy.

By the end of four innings, the Angels had rallied to within 6-4. It was 6-5 after five, then 7-5 going into the bottom of the seventh.

Tavarez replaced Nagy, who gave up seven hits with six strikeouts and three walks, to begin the seventh.

Third baseman Tony Phillips led off the inning with a single to center. Edmonds worked the count to 3 and 2, then blasted a Tavarez pitch over the wall.

Earlier, he proved his glove is as hot as his bat, making a diving catch on Jim Thome’s sinking line drive to end the Cleveland third.

If the AL West-leading Angels were shellshocked after Central Division-leading Cleveland took a 6-1 lead, designed hitter Chili Davis snapped them out of it.

His bases-empty homer ignited the comeback. It took awhile, but Edmonds brought them even.

Relievers Mike Butcher, Mark Holzemer and Troy Percival held the Indians to only one run, on a run-scoring double by Wayne Kirby in the sixth. And that certainly helped the Angels stay close and eventually tie.

Before the game, Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann spent much of his daily session with reporters answering questions about the cosmic significance of the meeting between the AL’s top teams.

He made sure to point out often that the calender still reads July, not September.

“To look at it as a postseason preview would be real dangerous,” Lachemann said. “You’ve got the cart a little bit ahead of the horse. It’s an important series to see where we’re at. We don’t need to make any statements to another team. We don’t need to make any statements to anyone but ourselves.”

Davis provided another voice of reason in the Angel clubhouse.

“I keep hearing, ‘Playoffs, playoffs, playoffs,’ ” he said. “It’s not even August yet.”