Dickson Having a (Gopher) Ball

Jason Dickson pitched so well in the Angels’ 6-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday he could laugh about giving up his 24th home run of the season, three behind teammate Allen Watson’s major league-leading 27.

“It’s almost to the point where Watson and I joke about giving up home runs,” said Dickson, who scattered seven hits over eight innings and struck out six to improve to 13-5. “If he gets the lead, I tell him I’m going to catch him, and he does the same to me.

“The way I’ve been giving up home runs, the balls seem to travel well anywhere when I’m pitching, but home runs are not really important. I’m sure most pitchers would be happy if they just gave up a solo homer over eight innings.”

An Anaheim Stadium crowd of 20,994 saw Dickson make his best start since July 15, when he gave up one run in seven innings in a 6-2 victory over Texas. The rookie right-hander, who has been bothered by shoulder stiffness and had an 8.34 earned-run average in his previous four games, walked one and mixed his fastball, curve and changeup effectively.

Dickson handled the two Red Sox who give him the most trouble with relative ease, giving up a single each to Reggie Jefferson, who began with a .545 average against Dickson, and Mo Vaughn (.400). Dickson struck out Vaughn twice, looking at a first-inning fastball and swinging at a fourth-inning changeup.

“When he’s feeling comfortable and has confidence he’s going to pitch well,” Angel Manager Terry Collins said. “There was a time [recently] when he started getting hit a little bit and he felt he had to start throwing harder. But he doesn’t need to do that.”

The Angels, who pulled to within 1 1/2 games of Seattle in the AL West, gave Dickson an early cushion with a three-run first that included Tim Salmon’s two-run homer, his 25th of the season.

Dave Hollins’ single scored Darin Erstad in the third inning, and Gary DiSarcina and Tony Phillips added RBI singles for insurance in the eighth.

Dickson’s only blemish was a home run in the eighth by Boston rookie Nomar Garciaparra, who extended his hitting streak to 25 games and his home run total to 24.

“A lot of pitchers give up a lot of home runs and win 20 games,” Watson said. “As long as they’re not grand slams or three-run shots, and you don’t let them bother you, you’ll be fine. In fact, it’s kind of nice sometimes [after a homer], you don’t have to hold guys on or pitch from the stretch.”

Can Watson be caught?

“I don’t know, I guess I jumped out pretty far,” said Watson, who was tagged for two homers by Garciaparra on Friday night. “[Chuck] Finley was in the race too, until he won 10 in a row. Now he’s out of it.

“We don’t mind the homers. That’s what happens when you throw a lot of strikes and go right after guys. At least we joke about it.”

Salmon’s home run off Red Sox starter Aaron Sele gave him 105 RBIs for the season, which matches his career high, set in 1995. The right fielder got off to his usual slow start, batting .250 with six homers and 33 RBIs in April and May, but he has been a run-producing machine since, improving his average to .304 and hitting .387 with runners in scoring position.

“I’m in awe,” Collins said. “I saw what he did in April and May, and you see the numbers he has now and you think, if he ever has a fast start he’s going to have a huge, huge year. I felt he’d have 100 RBIs, and he’s done that with a whole month left in the season and a slow start.”

Salmon was a career .260 hitter in April going into 1997, and the first month of the season has been his least productive.

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Salmon said. “I’ve tried to evaluate it, but I think it’s just a matter of getting so many at-bats, getting the kinks out of your swing and getting comfortable. Every year I say I’m going to start out strong, and I’m always in the same spot every year.”