Collins Manages the Blame

Angel Manager Terry Collins did the baseball equivalent of jumping on a hand grenade Monday night, taking full responsibility for his team’s crushing 12-10 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays when there was enough blame to fill many a clubhouse cubicle.

A trio of Angel relievers--Rich DeLucia, Mike James and Mike Holtz--blew a three-run lead by giving up five runs to baseball’s worst-hitting team in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Angels, who trail Seattle by four games, missed a chance to close the gap on the Mariners, who lost to Kansas City.

DeLucia walked three in the eighth and James and Holtz each gave up run-scoring hits, but if you believe Collins’ terse post-game assessment, he was to blame.

“I put ‘em in there--it’s no one’s fault but my own,” Collins said. “We battled our butts off . . . it’s my fault. I’ll take the heat.”

Asked what moves or players he was referring to, Collins said, “We’re talking about anybody, anybody in that game . . . OK? Thanks a million.”

With that, Collins stormed out of his office, much like many of his pitchers stormed off the SkyDome mound Monday night.

The Angels had leads of 4-0 and 7-5, thanks to a resurgent offense that featured two home runs and a career-high five RBIs by Darin Erstad, Tim Salmon’s 30th homer and Jim Edmonds’ two-run double.

But starter Darrell May gave up four runs in the third and one in the fifth, and reliever Pep Harris gave up two in the sixth as the Blue Jays pulled even, 7-7.

Erstad’s three-run homer off Dan Plesac gave the Angels a 10-7 lead in the top of the eighth, but then came the fateful bottom of the eighth, which began with DeLucia walking No. 9 hitter Tomas Perez, a .227 hitter, on four pitches.

After Shannon Stewart grounded out, DeLucia walked Mariano Duncan and Jose Cruz Jr. to load the bases. Collins summoned James to face Joe Carter, who singled to center to score Perez and Duncan.

Edmonds made a strong throw from center and appeared to have a shot at Duncan at home, but Erstad cut off the throw, even though Cruz jogged into second with no intention of going to third.

Clinging to a 10-9 lead, Holtz came on to face Delgado, who grounded a single just past diving second baseman Tony Phillips to score Cruz with the tying run.

Carter headed for third, and Angel right fielder Garret Anderson threw to third, but shortstop Gary DiSarcina’s relay hit Carter in the back and rolled into foul territory, allowing Carter to score the go-ahead run.

Tony Chavez replaced Holtz and gave up a sacrifice fly to Benito Santiago, which made the score 12-10, before striking out Shawn Green to end the inning.

“I waited seven weeks for a situation like this, and to do that . . .” said DeLucia, who recently returned after July surgery to remove an aneurysm in his shoulder. “I could put up with four straight hits, but to walk guys . . . that’s not something any pitcher takes kindly to.”

DeLucia was obviously struggling with his control and Collins no doubt second-guessed himself for leaving him in to face the switch-hitting Cruz.

Afterward, some Angels tried to pass it off as just another loss.

“You can’t take any one harder than another,” Anderson said. “It would have been great to make up some ground on Seattle, but if we start thinking about [Monday’s] game [tonight], we’re going to lose again. We have to forget about it and come to the park like nothing happened.”

But plenty did happen . . . and Collins and several Angel relievers have the scars to prove it.