Finley Has Problems Against Rangers Again

Chuck Finley has had so many problems pitching in this town that Angel managers have actually juggled their rotation so the left-hander would not have to face the Texas Rangers in their home park.

With the Angels barely having enough healthy arms to fill out a rotation these days, Manager Terry Collins had no such luxury Sunday night.

So Finley took his usual turn and took his usual beating, giving up four runs and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-2 loss to the Rangers before 36,648 at the Ballpark in Arlington.

An Angel team that had thrashed the Rangers for a season-high 21 hits and 18 runs Saturday night managed only four hits, including two off Texas right-hander Rick Helling, who struck out seven in eight innings to improve to 9-3.

And a Ranger team that seemed to lose its grip on first place in the American League West increased its lead over the Angels to 1 1/2 games, assuring that no matter what happens in tonight’s four-game series finale, the Angels will leave Texas in second place.

“[Tonight] is an important game,” said center fielder Jim Edmonds, who teamed with Tim Salmon to provide the Angels’ only runs on back-to-back homers in the fourth inning.

“We’ve got to stay as close as we can to the Rangers. We can’t take first place, but we have to keep playing well. We weren’t going to win the division championship in this series--it’s not even the All-Star break--but if you want to make the playoffs, you’ve got to win three of four from some teams.”

Finley has not come close to such a winning percentage against the Rangers. In his last 11 starts in Arlington, he is 3-8 with a 6.86 earned-run average, giving up 47 earned runs in 61 2/3 innings. He has a overall record of 7-13 with a 4.47 ERA against Texas.

The 35-year-old veteran knows why he struggled earlier in his career in Arlington--he grew up about 4 1/2 hours away, in Monroe, La., and every time Finley came to town he had to help arrange hotel and ticket accommodations for a few dozen friends and relatives.

“I was trying to impress 60 people and my teammates, and I got hit around a bit,” Finley said. “But I figured all that out a few years ago, and it’s no longer a distraction.

“I just didn’t locate the ball very well tonight.”

Finley gave up three runs in the first, on Will Clark’s RBI single and Mike Simms’ two-run double, and Simms added a bases-empty homer off Finley in the sixth.

In between, Finley did his usual escape-artist act, pitching his way out of numerous jams, “but I didn’t get out of enough of them,” Finley said. “They put just enough on the board to beat me.”

Finley has now had two subpar starts in a row, though he won despite giving up six runs in five innings of Tuesday night’s 10-8 victory over Arizona. There is no reason to panic, but Finley is concerned, especially with his inability to get left-handed hitters out.

Rusty Greer, Luis Alicea and Clark combined to go six for 11 Sunday night, raising opposing left-handed batters’ average against Finley to .284 (25 for 88). Right-handed batters are hitting just .222 (69 for 311) against Finley. Lefties hit .164 (10 for 61) against Finley last season.

Alicea, normally a switch-hitter, batted left-handed against Finley because of sore ribs.

“Their left-handers were killing me tonight, and I don’t know why,” Finley said.

“I’m doing something wrong against them, maybe not using the right pitch sequences.

“I just don’t feel right against them.”

Neither did the Angels against Helling, who retired the side in order in six of the eight innings he pitched. Outside of the home runs by Edmonds and Salmon, the Angels only other baserunner against Helling was when he walked Dave Hollins in the first.

The Angels did mount a threat against Texas closer John Wetteland in the ninth when Hollins and Edmonds singled with one out. But Salmon struck out on a high fastball and, after a walk to Cecil Fielder, Wetteland retired Garret Anderson on a grounder to second for his 19th save.

“I’m sure overall we’re a little fatigued from the heat here and in Phoenix, but when you load the bases in the ninth, the mental side takes over,” Angel bench coach Joe Maddon said. “It just didn’t work out for us tonight.”