Bullpen Preserves Win

Hard to tell who agonized more in the late innings of the Angels’ 6-5 victory over the Twins Monday night, interim manager Joe Maddon or suspended closer Troy Percival.

Unable to go to his bullpen ace, Maddon employed Ken Hill, Mark Petkovsek, Juan Alvarez and Shigetoshi Hasegawa as closers, with Hasegawa getting Matt Lawton to ground out to end a 3-hour 29-minute game in which the Angels used seven pitchers, five in the last three innings, and the Twins used 16 offensive players.

“You see what Percy does to you? He makes you think too much,” Maddon said. “You get to the ninth inning with the lead, you bring Percy in and wait for good things to happen.”

Said Percival: “It’s definitely easier to do than to watch.”

The Angels scored four runs in the first inning, which included Mo Vaughn’s RBI double and Garret Anderson’s two-run double, and Vaughn tied Troy Glaus for the team lead in home runs with a two-run shot in the second.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Kansas City Royals, four games.

* Site--Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

* Today--2 p.m.

* TV--Channel 9 tonight (second game).

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 58-85, Royals 57-86.

* Record vs. Royals--4-4.

FIRST GAME

ANGELS’ TIM BELCHER (6-8, 6.49 ERA) vs. ROYALS’ MAC SUZUKI (1-4, 7.77 ERA)

SECOND GAME

ANGELS’ MIKE FYHRIE (0-4, 5.50 ERA) vs. ROYALS’ GLENDON RUSCH (0-1, 15.75 ERA)

* Update--Angel knuckleballer Steve Sparks, scratched from the second game because of inflammation in his right shoulder, returned to Southern California Monday to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, team physician.

* Wednesday, 5 p.m.--Chuck Finley (9-11, 4.65) vs. Blake Stein (1-1, 3.44).

* Thursday, 11 a.m.--Ramon Ortiz (1-2, 5.83) vs. Jeff Suppan (9-9, 4.42).