ANGELS REPORT : Angels Have Air of Defeat

They hauled the big-screen televisions out of the Angel clubhouse and got rid of the soft lighting this weekend, hoping to create what interim Manager Joe Maddon called “an airy atmosphere.”

But the mood after Saturday’s 9-6 loss to the New York Yankees before 30,589 in Edison Field seemed all too familiar--depression, in the form of players staring into their lockers, frustration in the form of closer Troy Percival having to explain another shoddy performance.

The Angels equaled their season high for deficits overcome, erasing the Yankees’ 5-0 lead with three runs in the second inning and three in the seventh--two on Mo Vaughn’s double--to tie the score, 6-6, but New York scored three in the top of the ninth, the key hit Ricky Ledee’s two-run triple off Percival.

Bernie Williams added a run-scoring single off the once-dominant Angel closer, who has been torched for 11 earned runs in his last 7 2/3 innings for a 12.91 earned-run average.

“My velocity has been fine for over a month, but I’m really struggling with my ball running,” Percival said. “I’m trying to throw it inside and it runs over the plate. You can either fold or work your butt off to get through it. I’m going to fight through it.”

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Two daring base-running moves played major roles in the outcome, one paying off for the Yankees in the ninth and one backfiring on the Angels in the eighth.

With Jeff Huson on second and one out, Yankee reliever Allen Watson’s wild pickoff throw sailed over second baseman Chuck Knoblauch’s head and into shallow center field.

Huson got back to second, raced to third and was waved home by third-base coach Larry Bowa, but Ledee, the Yankee center fielder, made a strong one-hop throw to the plate to cut down Huson.

With pinch-runner Clay Bellinger on second and Darryl Strawberry on first in the top of the ninth, Jorge Posada squared to bunt and missed. Bellinger strayed too far off second, and Angel catcher Matt Walbeck made a strong throw to the bag.

But just as Walbeck released the ball, Bellinger broke for third, diving head-first before shortstop Andy Sheets’ throw. Both runners scored on Ledee’s triple.

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Ramon Ortiz had another rocky start for the Angels, giving up six runs, six hits and walking three in four innings. The right-hander has been tagged for 10 runs in 12 innings of his last two starts.

“It seemed like he was in a hurry with his delivery,” Maddon said. “He never found a good rhythm. It’s like hitting a golf ball, he didn’t have good tempo. I’m sure he was excited, and when you’re a little hurried, you want to throw it harder and by everybody. That can mess you up.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (8-11, 4.74 ERA) vs. YANKEES’ ED YARNELL (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

TV--ESPN Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090)

* Update--Few pitchers have had more success against the Yankees than Finley, who has a career 16-9 record and 3.49 ERA with four complete games and one shutout against New York. Yarnell, a left-hander, was added to the Yankee roster Friday and will make his first big-league start. The Angels on Saturday added pitcher Brian Cooper to the major league roster, and the right-hander will make his major league debut Tuesday against Chicago. Reserve outfielder Matt Luke also has been activated.

* Tickets: (714) 663-9000.