Davis Excited About His Power Play

While pitcher Jason Dickson was enjoying the thrill of his first major league victory Wednesday, grizzled veteran Chili Davis was jazzed about a feat he accomplished for the ninth time in his 15-year career--he hit homers from the right and left sides of the plate in a 7-1 victory over the Yankees.

“That’s the biggest thrill in this game for any switch-hitter,” Davis said. “It’s not often you can say you have power from both sides of the plate, but that shows it.”

Davis, batting right-handed, followed Gary DiSarcina’s single in the first inning with a two-run homer to left off Yankee starter Jimmy Key.

After Tim Salmon walked to open the ninth in a 2-1 game, Davis, batting left-handed off reliever Jeff Nelson, gave the Angels two insurance runs with another two-run homer to left, which barely cleared the wall.

That gave Davis 25 home runs this season and 295 in his career, but he’s still well behind one of his favorite players and switch-hitters, Baltimore’s Eddie Murray, who is two shy of the 500-mark.

“I hope he hits No. 500 when we’re in Baltimore this weekend,” Davis said. “I’ll run out on the field and shake his hand.”

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Bench coach Joe Maddon, who took over for interim Manager John McNamara Wednesday, made all the right moves in his first game at the helm of the Angels, going to his bullpen when he should have and wisely inserting center fielder Jim Edmonds for defensive purposes in the eighth inning.

He also fared well in his first interview session as Angel manager, once General Manager Bill Bavasi tracked him down in the clubhouse to inform him he had to speak to the media. Asked if he felt a two-run, first-inning lead would hold up, Maddon said: “Not since Bob Gibson has that been a safe assumption.”

On learning an hour before the game he would be taking over as manager: “I did this in Anaheim for a few games, but being in Yankee Stadium, it’s a little different. It’s like going to the Vatican.”

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Dickson, who received a 10-page fax from well-wishers in his hometown in the Canadian province of New Brunswick before Wednesday’s game, was the first Angel pitcher to win his major league debut since Scott Lewis beat the Texas Rangers on Sept. 25, 1990. . . . An eye specialist determined that stress and a lack of sleep may have caused an involuntary twitch in Edmonds’ right eyelid. No medication was prescribed. . . . Larry Barnes, a 22-year-old outfielder/first baseman for the Angels’ Class A affiliate at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been named Midwest League player of the year. Barnes is batting .315 with a league-leading 21 home runs, 36 doubles and 89 RBIs. . . . The Angels placed reliever Chuck McElroy (inflamed left thumb) on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, retroactive to Aug. 11, to make room for Dickson.