Unlikely Cast Gets Job Done for Angels Again

Allen Watson, who had a career-high 12 victories last season, is a $2.9-million-a-year middle reliever in the bullpen. At least he’s in the big leagues. Jason Dickson, the Angels’ only all-star as a rookie last year, is pitching in triple-A Vancouver.

But Steve Sparks--who didn’t play in 1997 after having his right elbow surgically reconstructed and was 0-8 in the minors this season--and his elusive knuckleball remain in the rotation as the Angels drive for an even more elusive division title.

Cecil Fielder is now with Cleveland and Dave Hollins will undergo surgery on his shoulder Wednesday, so rookies Troy Glaus and Chris Pritchett are on the corners of the Angels’ infield for the stretch run.

Who says the Angels can’t win the American League West with a lineup that looks a lot like a good Pacific Coast League team?

Pritchett drove in four runs with a bases-loaded double and a run-scoring single, Glaus had a double, an RBI and two runs scored and Sparks continued to hang onto his spot as a starter as if he were using his fingernail knuckleball grip as the Angels beat the White Sox, 7-2, in front of 22,174 at Edison Field Monday night.

Sparks gave up two runs and did not walk a batter in seven innings as the Angels increased their lead over Texas to one game.

“Steve has kept us in every game he’s pitched except the one [July 16 against Tampa Bay] when he didn’t have his control [walking five batters in one-plus innings],” Manager Terry Collins said. “He didn’t have a very good knuckleball tonight, but he has some other things, a little slider, a sinker, and a changeup to go with it.”

His knuckleball may not have been dancing like it does on most nights, but Sparks felt fortunate for a couple of things: a 6-0 lead after three innings and Chicago’s propensity for hitting the ball at people.

“Thank goodness for Pritchett and [Phil] Nevin,” he said. “After we scored early, I just wanted to throw strikes and eat up innings. I guess because the knuckler wasn’t moving that much, it’s easier to control, but they also hit a lot of balls hard at people.”

Pritchett, who has been stuck at Vancouver for three seasons before being recalled when Darin Erstad went on the DL, hit the ball hard and in the right spots.

The Angels scored three times in the second inning after Tim Salmon led off with a single to center, his seventh hit in nine at-bats. Jim Edmonds ended up on second and Salmon on third when second baseman Ray Durham fielded his grounder and threw wildly over the head of shortstop Mike Caruso. Glaus scored Salmon with a groundout to first and one out later, Nevin slammed a 425-foot homer to center.

In the third, Garret Anderson and Edmonds singled and Glaus walked to load the bases. Pritchett emptied them with a two-out double to left-center.

“The first couple of years in the minors, I kind of bounced around,” Pritchett said, “and I certainly didn’t think this would be the year. There were a lot of first basemen here. So I’m just happy to get the chance and the opportunity.”

Glaus, who hit safely in his first six major league games before slipping into a five-for-37 slump, doubled down the line with two out in the fifth inning and Pritchett followed with an RBI single to right.

About the only thing that didn’t go the Angels’ way on this evening happened in the space of two batters in the fourth inning. Frank Thomas led off with a towering homer to center and then Albert Belle hit a fly ball deep into the left-field corner. Orlando Palmeiro retreated to the short wall, leaned back, reached up . . . and lost the ball to a fan, who made a two-handed catch just above his glove.

An Edison Field security detail removed the fan--who had the misfortune of having a ball hit right to him and then making a nice catch--but third-base umpire Durwood Merrill ruled the ball was over the fence and was a homer.

“The fan’s just trying for a souvenir and I can understand that,” said Sparks (7-2). “I just wanted to make sure I kept my concentration.”

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ANGEL REPORT, C5