Finley Shows Hitters How It’s Done

He won’t be Manager Marcel Lachemann’s first option when the Angels need a left-handed pinch-hitter but pitcher Chuck Finley had two singles in three at-bats Friday as the Angels pounded out 18 hits in a 9-5 exhibition victory over the San Diego Padres in Peoria, Ariz.

The left-hander fared pretty well on the mound too, giving up three hits--but three earned runs--in six innings.

And on the basepaths? Well, Finley won’t be pinch-running any time soon.

When a fourth-inning pitch squirted to the left of Padre catcher Brad Ausmus, Finley took off from first base, pulled into second with no slide and was tagged out.

“I thought the pitch went back to the screen so I was kind of cruising,” Finley said. “I knew one thing for sure, I wasn’t going to slide. The last time I did that was in the Freeway Series a few years ago and I wound up on the disabled list.”

Finley didn’t ask for the game ball but basked in his offensive glory.

“Believe me,” shortstop Gary DiSarcina said, “we’ll never hear the end of this.”

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Closer Lee Smith’s first appearance in a regular spring-training game didn’t last nearly as long as his walk from the bullpen to the mound, but it solidified Lachemann’s belief Smith will be ready to start the season.

Smith, recovering from a serious knee injury, threw only seven pitches, retiring Rob Deer and Archi Cianfrocco on first-pitch groundouts and striking out Mike Sharperson on a 2-2 count.

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Jim Edmonds had a three-run homer and has hit safely in all 16 exhibition games he has played. He is batting .469 with seven homers and 18 RBIs. . . . Third baseman George Arias made his first error of the spring, throwing to first in the dirt, but he made up for it with a diving stop and forceout at second on the next batter. Arias, who is pushing Tim Wallach for the starting job, also keyed a five-run first inning with a three-run double.

Right fielder Tim Salmon, who has been bothered by muscle spasms in the back of his neck, was held out of Friday’s game. . . . Outfield Coach Sam Suplizio broke his upper jaw when a batted ball caromed off a pitching machine and hit him in the face.