Angels Display Some New Life in Comeback

The Angels, who may be looking to shake up their roster, may also be on the verge of turning things around.

The Angels beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-4, Tuesday in front of 29,916 at Edison Field. It was only their second consecutive victory, but it came after spotting the Indians a 4-1 lead.

Shortstop Gary DiSarcina broke a 4-4 tie with a single to score Troy Glaus in the eighth inning. Troy Percival, who has a history of poor performances against the Indians, then pitched a perfect ninth for his 30th save.

The victory kept the Angels a half game behind Texas in the American League West Division and came a day after they thrashed the Indians, 11-4, to end a 9-20 streak.

“These are two big wins,” said designated hitter Tim Salmon, who had a season-high four hits, including his 20th home run.

“I know Cleveland would probably say they’re not playing their best, but neither are we.

“You don’t turn that around with one victory. You have to build on it. You get to the point where you stop thinking, ‘we need to win tonight,’ and just go out and win.”

That sort of attitude was apparent in Percival, who has been hammered by Cleveland four times in his career. He gave up three runs in one inning against the Indians and took the loss on April 10 this season.

But Percival blew through Travis Fryman, Mark Whiten and David Justice, striking out the last two, for the save.

It was also seen in DiSarcina, who drove in the tying run as well as the winning run.

“Gary doesn’t get RBIs in games we’re losing 10-1, he gets big RBIs,” Manager Terry Collins said. “I’m never worried when Gary is at the plate, because I know he’s not going to strike out. He’s going to find a hole. He did so tonight.

“Tim Salmon gets big hits. He did so tonight. He is going great right now.”

Absent, though, was Cecil Fielder, who didn’t even get to hit again Tuesday. Fielder has not played in the last three games.

Todd Greene is completing his rehabilitation on Thursday and the Angels, who desire Greene’s bat in Anaheim, might make a move. A decision could come by the end of the week.

Greene, a catcher, is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. But it hasn’t affected his hitting. Greene has seven home runs and has driven in 19 runs in 28 games. Angel officials had no comment.

Fielder, signed for $2.8 million, had his playing time reduced when the Angels called up third baseman Troy Glaus from triple-A Vancouver. With Glaus at third, Collins moved Dave Hollins to first.

“This is the time of year you want to be in the lineup,” Fielder said. “But whatever my role is, I just want to help the team.”

Asked what that role might be, Fielder said, “go ask the manager.”

Collins said he planned to use Fielder and Hollins as situations merited.

The Angels have scored 22 runs in the last three games without Fielder. They were held in check by the Indians’ Dave Burba on Tuesday, but broke loose when Burba left because of a tight hamstring after five innings. Salmon’s solo homer--his seventh against Cleveland this season--was the only run Burba allowed.

But the Angels scored three in the sixth, two on Matt Walbeck’s double. DiSarcina followed with a single to tie the score, 4-4.

It came too late to help Chuck Finley, who has had little luck since beating San Francisco for his eighth victory on June 30. He is 0-1 in his last six starts, including a no-decision Tuesday. He had left three of those games early because of minor injuries, twice when he was hit by line drives.

Tuesday it wasn’t how hard he was hit by line drives, but how hard Manny Ramirez hit Finley’s pitches.

Ramirez, a .167 lifetime hitter against Finley, homered in the first, giving the Indians a 2-0 lead. He single home a run in the third and hit a solo home run in the sixth for a 4-1 lead.