Percival Falters Again as Angels Lose

They played baseball at Edison Field on Sunday so far from a pennant race that it barely counted as the same sport.

The Angels’ rickety offense rallied against one of the game’s best pitchers, but their suddenly vulnerable closer gave up a late 400-foot home run and one more bit of heartbreak fell from a schedule that dwindled to a dozen games.

Troy Percival’s first pitch, a get-ahead fastball with a runner on and two out in the eighth inning, was driven into the right-field bleachers by pinch-hitter Derrick May. As a result, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Angels, 5-4, and the Angels lost their fourth consecutive game.

Percival (4-5) has blown six of 13 save opportunities since late July. The latest cost right-hander Mike Fyhrie, who started and gave up three runs in six innings, his first big league win.

“Everything was in order,” interim Manager Joe Maddon said. “It just didn’t happen.”

Despite an 11-game winning streak that included the three-game sweep of the Angels, the Orioles and their $79 million payroll were officially eliminated from the playoffs because of Boston’s win earlier in the day.

What remains for them is Cal Ripken Jr.’s drive to 3,000 hits, Manager Ray Miller being driven from his post and a rigorous off-season for General Manager Frank Wren. Ripken had three hits Sunday and is 10 short of 3,000.

A crowd of 22,526 cheered each of Ripken’s three singles and throughout the Angels’ four-run, sixth-inning rally against 16-game winner Mike Mussina, then grew irritable when Percival’s aggressive fastball was so loudly turned around by the veteran May for a 5-4 Oriole lead.

Though they put two runners on with none out in the eighth inning, the Angels failed to score. Rookie catcher Bret Hemphill could not put a bunt into fair territory and then struck out. Todd Greene struck out on three consecutive curveballs. Gary DiSarcina grounded out.

“I didn’t want to fail,” said Hemphill, whose skills are well-liked by team evaluators.

“I tried getting the bunt down. I just didn’t execute.”

Dimly lit and nearly abandoned, the Angel clubhouse was very quiet afterward.

Mo Vaughn, who had two hits but struck out against Oriole closer Mike Timlin to end the game, rested his head in his hands.

Like the Orioles, the Angels have a manager’s job to consider.

Maddon is 10-7 since Terry Collins quit, and he believes he’ll have a chance at the full-time job if the team plays well in its final two weeks.

The Angels scored against Mussina on doubles by Jim Edmonds and Vaughn, then singles by Troy Glaus and Garret Anderson, giving them a 4-3 lead into the late innings, only to find another way to lose.

When the Angel rally died in the eighth, a crash was heard from the suites that house club executives.

Fyhrie said he didn’t have particularly good control, and indeed he walked consecutive hitters in the third inning, when the Orioles scored twice. But he pitched well enough to win. Instead, his career record stands at 0-5.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it,” he said.

“It didn’t happen this time. In five days, hopefully, it will happen.”