DiSarcina Has His Own Concerns

Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina heard about Manager Terry Collins’ contract extension Tuesday, but he didn’t have an opinion about it.

“To be totally honest, that’s the least of my worries,” said DiSarcina, who played his first game of the season for the Angels Tuesday night. “My thoughts right now are how to get through this day. I just tried to condense spring training into nine days. I hope I have enough stamina.”

He didn’t. DiSarcina was pulled in the top of the eighth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Mariners for pinch-hitter Jeff Huson, who doubled to spark a three-run, eighth-inning rally that gave the Angels their first come-from-behind win since June 12.

But considering he played only nine minor league games in preparation for his 1999 debut, DiSarcina, out since February because of a broken bone in his left forearm, held up fairly well.

He made a nice play on Raul Ibanez’s hot one-hopper to his left in the second and started a 6-4-3 double play on Butch Huskey’s grounder in the fourth. He appeared to tire when his throw on David Bell’s seventh-inning grounder died in the dirt, forcing first baseman Darin Erstad to make a nice scoop.

Offensively, DiSarcina popped to the catcher in his first at-bat and reached on an infield single in his second. He’s the first to admit he won’t make an immediate impact, especially on offense, but his presence was definitely felt Tuesday.

“I believe he’s the heart and soul of the team, at least for position players,” Erstad said. “To have him back in the lineup is a real pick-up.

“It’s a fresh face, a positive attitude of wanting to win, knowing numbers don’t mean anything. That’s him. You wonder sometimes whether that’s been the focus of this team, and if it hasn’t been, I guarantee you he will make it the focus.”

*

Angel starter Steve Sparks had to leave Tuesday night’s game after three innings when an Alex Rodriguez third-inning liner hit him in the right hand, bruising his right index finger.

X-rays were negative, meaning nothing was broken, but the finger was swollen considerably. “I didn’t want to take any chances,” said Collins, who replaced Sparks with Shigetoshi Hasegawa.

Hasegawa gave up one run on three hits in three innings, and Mark Petkovsek gave up one run on two hits in two innings before yielding to closer Troy Percival, who pitched the ninth.

“The bullpen gave up two runs in six innings, that’s a great job,” Collins said. “You’re not going to face many better offenses than that. We’re trying to scramble our way back into the race, and the pitching has kept us in games.”

*

Percival recorded his 20th save Tuesday night, but right fielder Matt Luke recorded his first as an Angel. With the tying run on third and two out in the bottom of the eighth, Luke raced to shallow right-center field and made a diving catch of Huskey’s short fly ball to end the inning.

“It was a catch I should have made,” Luke said. “I felt I got a good jump on the ball.”

Luke then topped his evening by smashing an Allen Watson pitch in the top of the ninth into the right-field seats for his second home run in as many games, as the Angels won the first in what they believe is a critical 15-game stretch against American League West opponents.

“We need to get something going,” Luke said. “We need to sweep these guys.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (3-6, 4.76 ERA)

vs.

MARINERS’ JOHN HALAMA (5-2, 3.79 ERA)

Kingdome, Seattle, 7:30

TV--None. Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090), KCTD (1540).

* Update--To make room on the roster for DiSarcina, the Angels Tuesday designated utility player Tim Unroe for assignment. If Unroe clears waivers, as he did last week when the Angels designated him for assignment, he said he will accept an invitation to return to triple-A Edmonton. Randy Velarde’s RBI triple in the top of the eighth snapped an 0-for-14 slump. Mo Vaughn went 0 for 4 and has two hits in his last 22 at-bats and no RBIs since June 12. Though the Angels won Tuesday night, they have still scored four runs or fewer in 24 of their last 26 games.