Another September Not to Remember

It must be time for fall . . . or a fall, anyway.

The Angels lost their seventh game in a row Tuesday night, 5-1 to Oakland, their longest losing streak of the season. The last time they lost that many consecutive games was Sept. 13-23 of last year, when they dropped nine in a row and into a dogfight for the division title after leading by 11 games on Aug. 9.

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Interim Manager John McNamara says the Angels would be wise to do more than simply show up for the rest of the season.

“I don’t know how much impact I’ll have [on personnel decisions], but I’ll have some input,” he said. “We’d better not sit back and watch people cash in on us for 13 games. I’ve already addressed that. I don’t intend to let anything slide.

“There’s more than just physical ability that goes into an evaluation about whether or not a guy fits into a club. It’s not just talent on the field, it’s in the dugout, in the clubhouse . . . even on an airplane.”

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There was no good fortune in Dennis Springer’s 13th start. The knuckleballer, who had given up 19 homers in 76 2/3 innings, gave up back-to- back homers by Terry Steinbach and Brian Lesher in the second inning and suffered his fourth loss in his last six starts. . . . Right-hander Pep Harris hit Ernie Young in the sixth inning, the 81st time an Angel pitcher has hit a batter this season, tying the American League record set by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1911. . . . Tuesday’s victory gave the A’s a 7-5 edge in head-to- head competition with the Angels this season and ensures them of winning their 10th consecutive season series over the Angels. . . . J.T. Snow’s solo homer in the seventh was the Angels’ 100th in Anaheim Stadium this season, breaking the club record for homers at home, set in 1982.