Gubicza, Pitching Staff Are Not Getting Better

Angel Manager Terry Collins was more than prepared for the chilly temperatures at Jacobs Field on Friday afternoon.

“I’m wearing thermal underwear, running tights, two pairs of socks, two turtlenecks and anything else that will fit under my jacket,” Collins said.

Collins could have used one more accessory on the 51-degree day, though--a blindfold to shield his eyes from the atrocities his pitching staff suffered at the hands and bats of the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians ripped starter Mark Gubicza for six runs in the second inning and reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa for six more in the fifth en route to a 15-3 victory in their home opener before 42,643, the largest regular-season crowd in the four-year history of the ballpark.

Cleveland baserunners made more left turns than a stock car driver as the Indians amassed 20 hits, batted around twice and broke a 71-year-old team record for runs in a home opener.

They also knocked Gubicza all the way back to Southern California. The right-hander will return to Los Angeles today for an MRI test on his sore shoulder and probably will be put on the disabled list.

“I’m obviously not doing the club any good by going out there and not giving them a chance to win,” said Gubicza, who couldn’t hold a 7-1 lead over Cleveland last Sunday in Anaheim.

“I thought I could battle through this, make some pitches, get some outs, but there were times I didn’t have anything on the ball. Obviously, something has to be done.”

Gubicza sat out about three weeks of spring training because of the injury and said he has experienced pain in most of his appearances since returning March 21.

“But I’m never going to tell anyone there’s pain, because my job is to go out there and pitch,” said Gubicza, who has a 25.07 earned-run average. “The frustrating thing is the guys have been doing a good job of swinging the bats and playing defense, and I haven’t done my job twice.”

Chuck Finley, scheduled to be activated Tuesday, will provide some relief for a beleaguered starting rotation that has combined for a 1-4 record and an 8.34 ERA in 10 games.

But Collins’ alternatives for Gubicza’s spot aren’t extremely attractive: Hasegawa or knuckleballer Dennis Springer will join the rotation.

Still, a healthy Hasegawa or Springer should be more effective than an injured Gubicza, who gave up six consecutive hits, including Kevin Mitchell’s three-run homer and doubles by Sandy Alomar and Marquis Grissom, in the second inning.

Collins pulled Gubicza for Hasegawa, who gave up Jim Thome’s RBI single and walked Matt Williams before getting David Justice to hit into an inning-ending double play. But Hasegawa was raked in the fifth, giving up five singles and Manny Ramirez’s three-run homer.

Alomar’s streak of games in which he has hit a home run ended at five, but the Indian catcher had four hits, raising his average to .581. He ranks second in the American League in home runs . . . and bats ninth.

Think the heart of the Cleveland order--Thome, Williams and Justice--is tough? The Indians’ Nos. 7, 8 and 9 batters have combined for a .416 average--47 for 113--with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs in nine games.

“That’s a real good team over there,” Angel catcher Jorge Fabregas said. “They’re all tough outs, and it’s not a lot of fun playing them. You think Alomar might be a weak link, and he’s the hottest guy on the team.”

Indian right-hander Chad Ogea was nicked for two runs in the second inning on Dave Hollins’ single, Eddie Murray’s double and Fabregas’ two-run single, and Hollins singled and scored on a fielder’s choice by Fabregas in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-3.

But Cleveland blew the game open with its six-run fifth. Ogea went seven strong innings, giving up six hits, before giving way to relievers Mike Jackson and Jose Mesa, who pitched a scoreless ninth after having been activated from the restricted list Friday following his acquittal on rape charges.

Gubicza, however, fired all blanks Friday.

“Even in the best conditions, their lineup is real tough,” Gubicza said. “But going to the mound with nothing is obviously not ideal.”