Tigers Hand One Over to Angels, 5-4

And for the Angels’ next trick, they’ll beat the Detroit Tigers with blindfolds on, or with one hand tied behind their backs, or maybe they’ll simply show up for today’s game, stand at their positions and let the Tigers beat themselves.

The way things fell into place in their 5-4 victory over the Tigers Friday night, it seems the Angels are leading a charmed existence.

How else can you explain the fact that the Angels, who are used to hitting balls into outfield seats, scored their first run when a Tiger outfielder threw a ball into the seats?

Or that the Angels scored the tying and winning runs on seventh-inning wild pitches with Gary DiSarcina and Randy Velarde at the plate, two slumping Angels who were a combined 0 for 24 at the time?

Or that George Arias, who scored on the second wild pitch, reached base when Detroit left fielder Melvin Nieves misjudged his liner, playing a probable out into a gift double?

Or that as teammates were congratulating Troy Percival after his game-ending strikeout of Mark Lewis, a sudden downpour drenched Tiger Stadium, holding off long enough for the Angels to earn their fifth one-run victory of the season?

“Those were some good breaks for us,” DiSarcina said.

A sparse crowd that appeared to be thousands less than the announced 9,921 braved chilly conditions, as temperatures dipped into the 40s during the game. Players could see their breath and pitchers had trouble gripping the ball.

“It was like throwing cue balls,” said reliever Mike James, who set up Percival’s third save with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. “It was hard to control the movement of your pitches.”

Tiger reliever Richie Lewis would agree. Jim Edmonds and Chili Davis hit bases-empty home runs off Detroit starter Felipe Lira in the sixth inning, but the Tigers held a 4-3 lead going into the seventh, thanks in part to homers by Lewis and Cecil Fielder off Angel starter and winner Chuck Finley.

Garret Anderson then opened the seventh with a single to left, and Arias followed with a liner toward the left-field line. Nieves raced over and appeared to have the catch timed perfectly, but he took the wrong course toward the ball, which sailed over his head for a double.

“I thought he was going to catch it--he was right there,” said Arias, who broke a 0-for-7 streak with the hit. “It gave me a boost of confidence, because I’ve been getting down on myself the last few days.”

Lewis replaced Lira and walked catcher Don Slaught to load the bases. With DiSarcina up, Lewis threw a hard curve that bounced in the dirt and past catcher John Flaherty, allowing Anderson to tie the score, 4-4, and the other runners to advance.

DiSarcina, whose average dipped to .074 Friday night, popped to second for the first out, and up stepped Velarde, the leadoff batter who hasn’t had a hit since last Saturday and is batting .214.

Lewis lost control of another curve, which bounced in the dirt and past Flaherty, as Arias scored the go-ahead run. Detroit Manager Buddy Bell had seen enough, pulling Lewis for Mike Myers, who got the Tigers out of the jam.

“I never feel for the opposition when it’s to our benefit,” said Finley, who gave up seven hits and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. “But those balls are tough to grab when it’s this cold. It’s hard to keep moisture on your hands.”

If those wild pitches were strange, the manner in which the Angels scored their first run was downright wacky. Slaught doubled to lead off the third, took third on a grounder, and Velarde flied to shallow right field.

Slaught tagged and bluffed a move home, forcing Bobby Higginson to make a throw to the plate. It was a strong throw--so strong it sailed over Flaherty’s head and into the bleachers next to the Tiger dugout, allowing Slaught to score.