Angels Run Into Rocky Roadblock

A feeling of optimism seemed to surround the Angels this past week. A four-game win streak, an offensive awakening and the graduation from soft toss to live batting practice for injured outfielders Tim Salmon on Sunday and Jim Edmonds next week has fueled Angel hopes.

But the Colorado Rockies took a considerable chunk out of their momentum heading into the All-Star break Sunday, shredding starter Mike Fyhrie for seven runs in the first inning of an 8-2 victory before 42,585 in Coors Field.

Two developments cushioned the Angels’ fall. Texas lost to San Diego, so they remain 6 1/2 games behind the Rangers going into the second half. And the Angels have won five of their last six three-game series.

“We came here, we won two of three games. You’ve got to be happy with that,” Angel Manager Terry Collins said. “We’ll go home, rest for a few days and charge ahead the next couple of months.”

Salmon, out since May 3 because of a sprained left wrist, could lead that charge. He took some light batting practice swings for the first time Sunday and expects to pick up the pace later this week. He could return by the end of the month.

Edmonds, sidelined all season because of an operation on his right (non-throwing) shoulder, expects to begin batting practice Thursday or Friday, and he could return by early August.

“We miss those two guys in the lineup every day. They’re quality guys who produce a lot of runs,” shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. “We’ve played good baseball the last three weeks. We’ve made up some ground and we’re getting close to .500. Hopefully we can get Tim, Jim and some other guys back, and they’ll give us a big boost.”

Fyhrie, who kept Seattle off-balance with a variety of breaking balls and off-speed pitches Tuesday night, limiting them to two runs on six hits in seven innings of an 8-2 victory, wanted to do the same Sunday.

But he didn’t fool anyone, except the Angel coaches who believed he might provide temporary relief for the loss of Tim Belcher to the disabled list.

When he didn’t get strike calls from home-plate umpire Jerry Meals on two pitches near the knees of No. 2 batter Jeff Barry, Fyhrie began to bring his pitches up in the zone. Mistake.

The Rockies pounded six hits off Fyhrie, knocking him out in the first inning. “It’s very deflating, especially when the team is on a roll like this,” he said. “It’s disappointing when you don’t give the team a chance to win. We had a chance to sweep, and the fact that we didn’t falls on my shoulders.”

Fyhrie said he heard all the Coors Field horror stories about how balls fly out of the place, but neither team homered Sunday, only the second time this season that has happened.

But there is plenty of room in the Coors Field gaps, and the Rockies made use of them Sunday. After Larry Walker’s RBI single in the first inning, Dante Bichette singled to load the bases.

Vinny Castilla’s triple to left-center cleared them, giving Colorado a 4-0 lead. Kurt Abbott’s RBI single made it 5-0, and RBI doubles by Rockies’ pitcher Bobby Jones and Barry off reliever Scott Schoeneweis made it 7-0.

With eight innings remaining and the Angel offense having amassed 36 runs in four previous games, there was no reason for them to think they were out of it.

Angel relievers Schoeneweis, Mike Magnante, Al Levine and Shigetoshi Hasegawa held the Rockies scoreless on one hit from the second through sixth innings.

Darin Erstad’s sacrifice fly and Randy Velarde’s RBI groundout in the third pulled the Angels to within 7-2 in the third, but several Angel threats were thwarted the rest of the afternoon.

Troy Glaus sent a fly ball to the wall with two on and two outs in the third. Pinch-hitter Andy Sheets grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the fourth. Pinch-hitter Matt Walbeck struck out with two on to end the sixth.

“But we took the series,” DiSarcina said, “so we have to look at it as a positive.”