First Place Now Turf of These Scrappers

Two weeks ago, the Angels were three games over .500 and lagging 4 1/2 games behind Texas in the American League West. Then came the infamous rumble with the Royals, the Angels got their halos ruffled and their dander up and they haven’t stopped scrapping since.

Two weeks later--after Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over Seattle in front of 23,123 at Edison Field--they are 12 games over .500 and in first place for the first time since April 9 with a half-game lead over Texas.

Nothing like a few beanballs, a sucker punch and ensuing scrum to get the boys brimming with team spirit. You know, when you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way, and all that.

Macho nonsense? Maybe, but the win over the Mariners was the Angels’ 13th in 15 games since the fracas in Kansas City and resultant rash of suspensions for both teams.

“I think the way we’re playing has a lot to do with what happened in Kansas City,” catcher Phil Nevin said. “We have a lot of new guys here who hadn’t played with each other very long and you could sense [a feeling of unity] on the plane on the way home, just the way guys were talking.”

Even Manager Terry Collins--who served the final game of his eight-game suspension Tuesday night while watching the game in an Anaheim sports bar because it was not broadcast locally--acknowledges the Angels’ elevated level of play might be a lingering effect of the tussle two weeks ago.

“It’s not a total coincidence,” he said, “but I don’t think that’s made the whole difference. We came back from a [five-run] deficit two nights earlier in Minnesota and that game had a huge effect on our confidence.

“But it all comes down to your starting pitching, and lately we’ve been doing the job. You look up and you’re in the seventh inning.”

But for a slight hesitation by third baseman Dave Hollins, Tuesday’s starter, Jason Dickson, might have been pitching a shutout when Collins looked up at the sports-bar big screen in the seventh. The Mariners scored twice in the sixth after Ken Griffey Jr. singled and Hollins double-pumped before throwing to second to try to start a double play on Jay Buhner’s grounder.

Justin Baughman’s hurried relay to first was wide of the bag and Cecil Fielder dropped the ball attempting to tag Buhner. David Segui then doubled home Buhner and Glenallen Hill’s two-out double off the wall in left-center cut the Angel lead to 3-2.

Dickson retired the Mariners in order in the seventh before giving way to Mike Holtz. Holtz got Griffey to pop up and then bench coach Joe Maddon summoned Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who retired Buhner on a groundout and Segui on a fly to center. Troy Percival came in to pitch a 1-2-3 ninth and earn his major league-leading 21st save.

“Just the way it’s supposed to work, in theory,” Maddon said. “This time, theory met with reality.”

There was a time when it seemed as if the Angels were as awe-struck when they played Seattle as the U.S. soccer team facing the German side in the World Cup. But those days are only a fond memory for the Mariners. Seattle has lost 12 of 15 and is mired in last place in the less-than-awe-inspiring AL West.

“It’s early in the season, but it does feel good [to be in first place],” said Dickson, who picked up his sixth consecutive victory, giving up seven hits, two runs and no walks in seven innings. “We’re on a roll now and we’re just riding it.”

The Angels, who averaged almost eight runs a game during their recently completed trip, appeared ready to continue the offensive onslaught in the first inning. Darin Erstad reached first when first baseman Segui couldn’t handle his hard grounder. Hollins followed with a double to right and Jim Edmonds brought them both home with a single to right.

Baughman, leading off the second, hit a rocket off the chest of Seattle starter Bill Swift, who has four of the Mariners’ last seven victories. Swift finished the inning, but couldn’t continue after warming up for the third because of a bruised right pectoral muscle.

He gave way to Bob Wells, who walked Tim Salmon and then gave up two-out singles to Garret Anderson and Matt Walbeck as the Angels increased their lead to 3-0. After that, they let their pitchers carry them as they picked up a sixth game in the standings in the last 16 games.

“It is kind of incredible,” Maddon said, “but sometimes adversity does bring a group together. And after the situation in Kansas City, we’ve become a very close unit.”

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AL WEST

The Angels moved into first place with Tuesday’s victory:

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Team W L GB Angels 40 28 -- Texas 40 29 1/2 Oakland 31 37 9 Seattle 29 41 12

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Tuesday

Angels 3, Seattle 2

Oakland 9, Texas 7