Murray Can’t Get Into Act as Orioles Pound Angels

Those who came to Anaheim Stadium Monday night to see Eddie Murray hit historic home run No. 500 went home disappointed--the Baltimore Oriole slugger had only one single in five plate appearances against the Angels.

But those with a thirst for the long ball got their money’s worth--the Orioles hit five home runs in a 12-8 victory in front of 20,287, knocking the Oakland Athletics off the top of the major league’s home-run charts.

Third baseman Todd Zeile, acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies last week, blasted two home runs, and Brady Anderson, Bobby Bonilla and No. 9 batter Chris Hoiles each homered to bring Baltimore’s season total to 221 homers.

“To have your ninth hitter, your mop-up guy, smoke one like that, that’s impressive,” Angel interim Manager Joe Maddon said. “They have one neat-looking lineup. I was looking at it before the game--they’ve got Zeile now and [B.J.] Surhoff [who has 20 homers] hitting eighth against a right-handed pitcher . . . that’s not bad.”

Four of Baltimore’s home runs came off Angel starter Shawn Boskie, who now has the distinction of having given up the most homers (34) in all of baseball this season.

The Orioles, who stayed within four games of the New York Yankees in the hot American League East race, blew a 4-4 game open with three runs in the fourth inning, two in the sixth and three in the eighth, and the outcome was never in doubt as long as ace Mike Mussina was on the mound.

But the Angels did rally against relievers Mike Milchin and Armando Benitez in the ninth, Randy Velarde capping a four-run rally with a two-run homer before Benitez struck out Jim Edmonds to end the game.

The biggest surprise of the evening was that Murray didn’t connect for No. 500.

With Boskie serving up homers like McDonald’s doles out burgers--billions served--and rusty relievers Mark Holzemer and Mark Eichhorn, neither of whom had pitched since early June because of injuries, following Boskie, the timing seemed perfect for Murray.

But Murray managed only two ground balls off Boskie and lined out against Holzemer. Many fans headed for the exits after Murray walked to open the eighth, figuring he would not get up again.

But a three-run rally against Mike Holtz, who had given up only two runs in 25 1/3 innings this season, afforded Murray another chance in the ninth against reliever Greg Gohr, who has been tagged for 28 homers this season.

What few fans remained chanted, “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie,” and Murray rewarded them with a hit--a single to right field.

“I didn’t want to be the guy [to give up No. 500],” said Boskie, who gave up three homers in the Orioles’ 4-2 victory over the Angels last Sept. 6, the night Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games record in Camden Yards.

“I made enough people happy in that Cal Ripken game last year. I wasn’t going to pitch around him, but you’re definitely aware he’s going to want a ball he can handle.”

History was not made, but victory was secured, thanks in part to Mussina, who went seven innings, giving up four runs on six hits to improve to 18-9. But the biggest reason the Orioles won is they finally found their range against Boskie.

The driving range.

Boskie had tormented the Orioles this season, going 3-0 with a 1.86 earned run average and 17 strikeouts against them in three previous starts. His last game against Baltimore, in Camden Yards Aug. 23, may have been his best of the season, when he threw 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 victory.

But Boskie suffered his second straight subpar start Monday night, giving up seven runs--six earned--on six hits in just three innings.

Zeile drilled a full-count pitch into the left-field seats in the first inning, and Surhoff’s RBI single made it 2-0 in the second.

The Angels scored three in the second, two on Jorge Fabregas’ double, but Anderson and Zeile hit back-to-back homers in the third to make it 4-3. The Angels pulled even in the bottom of the third on J.T. Snow’s two-out, RBI single, but Bonilla opened the fourth with his 24th homer.

The Orioles added two more in the fourth, Hoiles hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and Anderson keyed a three-run eighth with a two-run double.