Angels Complete Trip Eyeing Next Journey

A decent road trip had just ended, but the Angels were already casting an eye toward the next one.

They flew home Sunday night, after a 6-4 loss to Toronto in front of 29,259 in SkyDome, with their heads spinning from watching the Blue Jays run the bases with impunity. When the Angels landed, they were still half a game in front of Texas with a seven-game homestand ahead.

Yet, the next journey had entered their minds. Looming out there, like a magnet, is an East Coast swing that starts with five games in four days against the New York Yankees.

“[We’ve] got to go home and have a good homestand,” Angel Manager Terry Collins said. “We go right out on the road and play five games in New York, three in Boston and two in Cleveland. We got to have this homestand be productive.”

That might not be easy against Chicago, Detroit and Toronto--who the Angels went 6-4 against on this trip. They have not been the easiest teams for the Angels this season, as Sunday’s game underscored.

Chris Carpenter retired 15 of the first 17 batters in beating the Angels, something neither Pat Hentgen nor Roger Clemens--the American League’s last two Cy Young Award winners--could do the previous two days.

The Blue Jays stole four bases and played hit and run against Angel pitcher Jeff Juden. Juden, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers as the road trip began, will likely see more of the same Friday. The Angels close their homestand with Toronto.

“Yes, these are teams we should do well against,” designated hitter Tim Salmon said. “If we’re a playoff-caliber team, we should come away with some wins on this homestand. But as we have seen all year long, we can’t take anyone lightly.”

The Angels didn’t with Carpenter, even if they were relieved to be done with Hentgen and Clemens.

Carpenter, a 23-year-old right-hander, didn’t allow a hit until Jim Edmonds singled to start the fifth. He gave up home runs to Troy Glaus and Chris Pritchett, but struck out seven and walked only one before leaving with two out in the ninth.

Juden matched him through three innings, giving up only Shannon Stewart’s lead-off double in the first. Stewart immediately stole third, but was stranded when Juden struck out Shawn Green and Jose Canseco and got Carlos Delgado to ground out.

The Blue Jays, though, weren’t done running. They did not even concern themselves with whatever pick-off move Juden may have in his repertoire.

“I’m not content with it,’ Juden said. “I don’t like anybody to run off me.

“I need to get some communication with the guys playing first base. I need to mix things up to take away the other team’s rhythm. I’m not going to turn into Superman overnight.”

So the Blue Jays became the men of steal. Things got so bad that Matt Walbeck didn’t attempt to throw out Green at second base in the fifth. He scored on Delgado’s two-out single.

The Blue Jays stole two bases during a four-run fourth inning. They also played hit and run twice, which produced desired results.

Canseco’s single with Green in motion left runners at first and third. Green scored on Juden’s wild pitch. Canseco then stole third. Jose Cruz followed with a single to score Canseco. Cruz then stole second. Tony Fernandez singled, driving in Cruz.

Fernandez wasn’t satisfied to stop at third on Darrin Fletcher’s hit-and-run single. He hesitated after rounding third, then sprinted home to give the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead.

In the middle of that track meet, Juden was hit in the calf by Delgado’s line drive. He left after five innings.

“I think that took the starch out of him,” Collins said.

“We’re going to do some things to help him [with the base stealing]. There are some things we can do, but I don’t want to give out a scouting report.”

Not with this homestand and that road trip ahead.