Angels Mired in Kansas City

There were so many Kansas City Royals spinning around the basepaths in the early going Sunday that the Kauffman Stadium grounds crew had to change the bases twice in the first five innings.

OK, it had more to do with the 5 1/2 inches of rain that fell overnight than wear and tear. But the Angels, who have been buoyed by their ability to scrap their way back into games and rally for victories recently, dug such a huge hole in the first three innings there was no way to muck themselves out of a 9-4 loss to the Royals.

It was more slogfest than slugfest--the Royals had only two extra-base hits among their 13 hits--but it was enough to sink the Angels in front of 20,702 on another rainy day in K.C.

Texas also lost, so the Angels remained a half-game ahead of the Rangers in the American League West with the worst record of any first-place team.

The Angels, who also had 13 hits, had baserunners in every inning, but they left 12 of them on base.

“We had some good chances early to get back in it, but we couldn’t get it done,” Manager Terry Collins said. “And they just hit them where we weren’t.”

Right-hander Omar Olivares, who is 0-5 in his last six starts, gave up 10 hits and eight runs in the first three innings, but seven of those hits were ground-ball singles, many of which slipped just under the gloves of diving Angel infielders.

“I’m a ground-ball pitcher and I’ll take that every day,” Olivares said. “Those same ground balls turn into double plays and save me on another day. It’s something you really can’t explain, it was just a tough-luck outing.”

Nine Kansas City batters came to the plate in the first and five of them came all the way around to cross it. Of the six hits in the inning, only Jeff Conine’s double into the left-field corner and Larry Sutton’s looping liner went beyond the infield without hitting the grass first.

The Royals added three runs in the third, all unearned, courtesy of a throwing error by shortstop Gary DiSarcina. With one out, he fielded Conine’s routine grounder and tossed the slippery ball about 20 feet over the head of first baseman Cecil Fielder. With two out, Mike Sweeney walked and Mendy Lopez, Johnny Damon and Jose Offerman singled.

“It’s a bad feeling to go out and leave your team behind 8-1 in the third inning,” Olivares said. “The guys have such a long way to come back. It’s a very frustrating outing, but it’s something I can’t be so frustrated about that I change my approach. I got my ground balls, it just didn’t turn out my way this time.”

Olivares gave way to knuckleballer Steve Sparks, who pitched three innings, striking out three and yielding one run on three hits. Collins moved Sparks into the bullpen to bolster his beleaguered relief corps, which is missing it’s No. 1 component, closer Troy Percival. He removed Sparks because he still plans on having him start Wednesday’s game against the Yankees in Anaheim.

Percival returned to the bullpen in the second inning Sunday--to offer moral support only--after undergoing a serious of tests Saturday evening to determine the cause of recurring dizzy spells.

Percival underwent a brain MRI and an arteriogram at St. Luke’s Hospital and was examined by neurologist Dr. Steven Arkin. The tests showed no abnormalities and Percival said he was no longer suffering from the symptoms. “It was a long night,” he said. “They didn’t let me sleep much, so I don’t want to talk about it right now. But I feel much better.”

When he will be able to pitch again is still a question, however.

The growing numbers of the Angels’ walking wounded left Collins with only two extra position players and few options Sunday, but the role players who are finding themselves in starting spots continue to respond to the challenge.

Craig Shipley, filling in at third base for Dave Hollins, who continues to have problems throwing because of an inflamed right shoulder, had three hits and scored a run Sunday. Norberto Martin, starting in left field for Darin Erstad, also had three hits and scored a run.

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* ANGELS REPORT, C5