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BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DiSarcina Has That Rundown Feeling

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Shortstop Gary DiSarcina went from third base to second, then back to third, all on the same play Thursday, and he wasn’t even the one caught in a rundown.

When Milwaukee tried a double steal in the fourth inning, DiSarcina’s first move was toward third to back up a potential throw to George Arias. But catcher Don Slaught threw to second, and when the Angels caught Mike Matheny in a rundown between first and second, DiSarcina raced to second to cover.

Then Jose Valentin, who had stolen third, headed for home, and second baseman Randy Velarde threw to Slaught, who had Valentin in a rundown. Back to third raced DiSarcina, who dived at the bag but was unable to stop Slaught’s errant throw, as Valentin scored.

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“When I got up from that play I was pretty tired,” DiSarcina said.

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Had the Angels taken the lead in the top of the ninth, Manager Marcel Lachemann said Lee Smith--and not Troy Percival--would have pitched the bottom of the ninth.

Percival, who has a major league-leading eight saves, had pitched six times in the past seven days, and Lachemann said he didn’t want to over-use him.

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Lachemann used all 14 of his position players, and by the bottom of the ninth, Velarde, who has not taken a grounder at shortstop all season, had replaced DiSarcina, who was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth. Velarde, the former New York Yankee utility player, did not get a fielding chance at shortstop. . . . Milwaukee starter Angel Miranda’s streak of scoreless innings ended at 14 Thursday when the Angels tagged him for two of their four runs in the sixth.

Triple-A outfielder Marquis Riley was claimed on waivers by the Florida Marlins. It was incorrectly reported in Thursday’s editions that Riley had cleared waivers and would be sent back to Vancouver.

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