Angels Certainly Will Accept Gift From A’s : Baseball: Oakland pitcher’s throwing error is the key to 4-1 victory as California pulls within one game of Yankees.

Gene Autry turns 88 today, his birthday coinciding with the final days of his 35-year tenure as Angel owner, and the team still hasn’t determined how it will mark the occasion.

Will the Angels give Autry a going-away present he would cherish, a playoff berth that could lead to a possible World Series appearance? Or will they give him one of the biggest gag gifts in baseball history?

Thanks to a 4-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics before a paid crowd of 22,533 in Anaheim Stadium on Thursday night, the Angels will have at least two more shopping days to decide.

The win moved the Angels (75-66) to within a game of the New York Yankees (76-65) in the wild-card standings with three games to play, and kept the Yankees’ magic number for clinching a playoff berth at three. New York closes with a three-game series at Toronto.

The Angels were not able to gain any ground on first-place Seattle, which defeated Texas to remain two games in front in the American League West.

The Angels will need some help from Toronto or Texas to reach the playoffs, but they got some from Oakland on Thursday night. Pitcher Doug Johns’ throwing error allowed two runs to score, as the Angels snapped a 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh.

Starter Mark Langston, ineffective in his previous two starts, came through with a strong 6 2/3 inning performance, giving up only one run on six hits and striking out four.

Setup man Troy Percival struck out three of the five batters he faced in the seventh and eighth, and closer Lee Smith got himself in--and out of--trouble during a scoreless ninth for his 36th save.

There was little celebration in the clubhouse though. Soon after the game, players were informed that Bill Lachemann Sr., the 95-year-old father of Manager Marcel Lachemann and bullpen coach Bill Lachemann, had passed away in an Orange County retirement home.

Only a few weeks ago, Michelle Carew, the 17-year-old daughter of Angel hitting instructor Rod Carew, was diagnosed with leukemia.

“It really puts things in perspective,” said designated hitter Chili Davis, who had two hits and scored two runs Thursday night. “We’re so lucky to be doing what we’re doing, to be blessed and be alive, we sometimes forget the reality of life. People are sick and dying every day, and we think going 0 for 4 or losing is the end of the world.”

“You can win a world championship or blow an 11-game lead, but at least we know we have another chance at life.”

Davis helped give the Angels another chance at the playoffs, doubling and scoring the Angels’ first run in the fifth inning and starting the game-winning rally with a single to start the seventh.

J.T. Snow went up with the intention of bunting but drew a walk from Johns. Garret Anderson then dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt toward third base, which Johns, a left-hander, fielded cleanly.

But Johns threw high to first, over second baseman Brent Gates and down the right-field line, allowing both Davis and Snow to score for a 3-1 lead.

Rex Hudler chopped an infield single over the mound to put runners on first and third, and Greg Myers followed with a topper to third. Anderson came home on the grounder but stopped as Paquette threw home.

Anderson forced three throws in the rundown, staying alive long enough for Hudler to go to third and Myers to second. That probably earned the Angels’ another run. Johns intentionally walked Tony Phillips to load the bases, and Hudler scored on pinch-hitter Mike Aldrete’s sacrifice fly.

The Angels finally scored in the fifth inning off Johns, the 27-year-old rookie who threw a two-hitter to shut them out on Sept. 18 and cruised through the first four innings without giving up a hit Thursday night.

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American League Playoff Race

The standings and remaining schedule for the American League West:

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W L Pct. GB Seattle 77 64 .546 -- Angels 75 66 .532 2 Texas 72 69 .511 5 Oakland 67 74 .475 10

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Today through Sunday

Oakland at Angels, Seattle at Texas

* MARINERS WIN

Ken Griffey’s grand slam in the eighth inning got Seattle a little closer to its first AL West championship. C7