Angels Run Into Double Trouble

The Angels distributed free T-shirts to the 36,052 at Edison Field Friday, inviting fans to turn themselves into human billboards for an upcoming Disney movie. The fans could turn those T-shirts inside out and inscribe this slogan upon them: “I went to the Angel game and saw a play I’d never seen.”

Try this on for size: Gary DiSarcina singled into a double play.

That’s exactly what happened, although the play wasn’t scored that way. Officially, he grounded into a double play, the most interesting play in a 9-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Angels played the game under protest, with Manager Terry Collins charging umpires with improperly depriving the Angels of a run on the strange play. In the end, Toronto home runs did far more damage to the Angels’ hopes, with Jose Canseco hitting a two-run homer and Carlos Delgado powering a pair of solo shots.

Nonetheless, the Angels can call themselves “the first-place Angels” at least through the end of the home stand Sunday. The Rangers lost to the Yankees, so the Angels remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas in the American League West.

Jeff Juden, the Angels’ answer to the Rangers’ acquisition of Todd Stottlemyre, gave up all three Toronto home runs but little else, allowing five hits in seven innings and striking out nine. In three starts since the Angels acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers, Juden is 0-2 with a 5.59 earned-run average.

In four starts since the Rangers acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals, Stottlemyre has a 6.00 ERA. His record is 3-1, though, because the Rangers are averaging 11 runs in his four starts. The Angels are averaging four runs per game in support of Juden.

The Blue Jays scored once in the second inning, on Delgado’s first home run. The Angels tied the score in the bottom of the inning, as the weirdness and then the protest erupted.

As loudly as the Angels protested, however, they shouldn’t have scored in the inning.

On the bizarre play, maybe. But that play never should have happened.

The Angels loaded the bases with none out, and visions of a second consecutive blowout danced through the heads of the home team. But Troy Glaus popped up for the first out, and Matt Walbeck grounded into what should have been the double play that ended the inning.

The ball, however, caromed off the glove of Toronto shortstop Alex Gonzalez and into center field. The Angels scored one run on the error, and the bases remained loaded.

Follow closely now: DiSarcina lines to right field. Walbeck, at first base, proceeds halfway to second, unsure whether Toronto right fielder Shawn Green will catch the ball or play it on a hop. Garret Anderson, at second base, stood there, apparently assuming Green would catch the ball.

Green charged hard, missing the ball by inches but trapping it into his glove. Umpires immediately signaled that Green had not caught the ball, and Walbeck hustled toward second base.

That, unfortunately for the Angels, was where Anderson was standing. Apparently, Anderson never saw the umpires. After a wild throw home, the Blue Jays threw to third base, forcing Anderson for the second out.

Walbeck, meanwhile, saw Anderson in front of him and decided he’d better get back toward first base. The Blue Jays then threw to second base, forcing Walbeck for the third out.

Jim Edmonds, the runner at third base, had long since crossed home plate. But, because a run cannot score when the final out is a force play, umpires negated the run.

Collins protested. DiSarcina shook his head and shuffled toward his defensive position.

He had singled, but he hadn’t singled. The double play nullified the single, so he had grounded into a double play. Singled into a double play, really. The grandchildren will love that story.