Maybe Exhaustion Isn’t a Bad Thing

The Angels managed seven hits or fewer in three of their previous five games, but their offensive problems were nothing a little fatigue couldn’t remedy Saturday.

They traveled from Toronto to Detroit Friday night after a 9-1 loss to the Blue Jays, arriving at their team hotel at around 2 a.m. and not relishing the thought of getting up early for a day game Saturday.

“That should not happen,” Manager Terry Collins said. “We shouldn’t play a night game in one city and a day game in another city the next day.”

Collins wasn’t going to have batting practice, but when he saw how groggy some players looked, he called for an abbreviated pregame hitting session. “If we don’t hit,” he said, “we’ll be asleep for five innings.”

Nice wake-up call: The Angels ripped six Tiger pitchers for 14 hits, including three homers, and they scored three runs in the first inning en route to an 8-6 victory.

“I’ve seen a lot of games like this, where you’re exhausted, you come to the clubhouse, and you just get the feeling you’re going to score 10 runs,” said designated hitter Tim Salmon, who singled, doubled and hit a two-run home run to end a two-for-21 slump.

“There’s a lot of chaos before the game, things seem hectic, but for some reason you score a lot of runs. Maybe when you’re tired, you just relax, and you don’t try to do too much. Sometimes when you’re strong and feeling good, that’s when you overswing.”

Added Collins: “I guess we were too tired to worry about anything, so went up there swinging.”

*

Jason Dickson may not have solidified his spot in the Angel rotation, but he certainly didn’t hurt his chances Saturday, giving up five runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings to gain the victory and improve to 2-4.

Barring any setbacks, Jack McDowell will come off the disabled list this week, and either Dickson, who has an 8.07 earned-run average, or Omar Olivares will be bumped to the bullpen.

Dickson gave up one run in the first four innings against the Tigers, and Frank Catalanotto’s two-run homer off the Angel right-hander pulled Detroit to within 4-3 in the fifth.

He walked the first two batters in the sixth, and both eventually scored, but Dickson helped prevent more serious damage by striking out cleanup batter Tony Clark on a curve in the dirt with two on.

“I didn’t pitch the greatest game in the world, but for the first five innings I felt as good as I’ve felt in a long time,” Dickson said. “I have no complaints. The bottom line is we won.

“Obviously, there’s going to be a move, but you have to accept what’s going to happen. I’ll do what I can do, and if that’s good enough to be in the rotation, I’ll be there. If I go to the bullpen, I’ll do whatever I can to help the team.”

*

After Matt Walbeck singled to open the sixth inning, with the Angels clinging to a 4-3 lead, Norberto Martin was expecting the bunt sign when he stepped to the plate against Tiger starter Tim Worrell.

He didn’t get it, so he ripped Worrell’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers for a two-run homer, the second baseman’s first home run since May 8, 1997, when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox.

“I was going to hit-and-run him,” Collins said. “When he didn’t see the bunt sign, I think that sparked him a bit.”

Justin Baughman, who replaced the injured Randy Velarde on the Angel roster, arrived at Tiger Stadium in the third inning Saturday, and Collins said he will start the majority of games at second base. But Martin, who is batting .230, showed he can be a valuable infielder with three RBIs and strong defense at second on Saturday.

ON DECK

ANGELS’ OMAR OLIVARES (1-1, 3.58 ERA)

vs.

TIGERS’ JUSTIN THOMPSON (2-5, 4.25 ERA)

Tiger Stadium, Detroit, 10 a.m.

Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Olivares, who pitched for the Tigers and Mariners in 1997, returns to the site of one of his best big league performances, a 6-0, four-hit shutout of the Angels for the Tigers last May 26. . . . Salmon moved into sixth place on the Angels’ career RBI list with his 523rd run batted in Saturday. He’s four RBIs behind Don Baylor for fifth place. . . . Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina is batting .500 (eight for 16) on the current trip. . . . The Angels lead the major leagues in wild pitches with 21 and are first in the American League in double plays with 54.