It’s Angels Who Look Hapless

There is no shame in losing to the Detroit Tigers . . . once. Heck, it happened to Tampa Bay a little more than a week ago.

Aiding and abetting the Tigers, on the other hand, isn’t something to feel so good about.

Shortstop Benji Gil’s two throwing errors helped give the Tigers a 4-2 victory in front 17,086 at Edison Field, enabling them to break an eight-game losing steak.

Gil’s errors led to unearned runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Normally, against the Tigers, those would be mere speed bumps on the road to victory. But for once, a Tiger pitcher provided more than mere batting practice.

Hideo Nomo gave the Tigers the best outing by a starter in nearly two weeks, giving up only two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Sure, all it got him was a no-decision. Those, though, may be coveted among the Tigers, who now have five victories, one more than New York Yankee pitcher Orlando Hernandez.

“There is no one in this league you should take lightly,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Tigers, one can argue, have been in a league of their own lately. They have the lowest batting average in the American League. Only Philadelphia has fewer runs and home runs.

“With, the hitters they have in their lineup, they can step up and bite you if you don’t make the pitches,” Scioscia said.

OK, so maybe the Tigers didn’t exactly feast on Angel pitcher Kent Bottenfield. Their Jenny Craig-style was enough, especially with Gil feeding them.

Gil’s throwing error enabled Luis Polonia to reach first to start the eighth. Brad Ausmus then hit a sharp grounder near second base for what seemed to be a sure double play. But Gil bobbled the ball and got only the out at first.

Bobby Higginson cashed it in with a single to center, scoring Polonia for a 3-2 lead.

With two out in the ninth, Gil fielded Polonia’s grounder, then threw it past first baseman Mo Vaughn, allowing Deivi Cruz to score from second for a 4-2 lead.

“Those are plays that should have been made,” Gil said. “If I make good throws, we get those outs and the game is tied at worst.”

Ask the Tigers, who rank next-to-last in the American League in fielding.

“This was good win for us,” said Detroit second baseman Damion Easley, whose solo home run in the fifth inning tied the score, 2-2. “This was only the second time this season we’ve had our projected lineup. But there are no excuses for how we’ve played. We are all major leaguers here.”

Nomo looked like one, anyway.

The crowds have vanished. The Japanese media hangs around, but in lesser numbers. The games are broadcast in Japan, but how many are still watching?

Yet, while Nomomania is no more, Nomo pitches on. His herky-jerky motion baffled the Angels at times.

“It’s almost like hitting a knuckleball pitcher,” Vaughn said.

All it got Nomo was his third no-decision of the season. He didn’t give up a run in the previous two.

“A big part of pitching is deception and hiding the pitches,” Scioscia said. “Nomo is outstanding at that.”

Then again, you can fool all the hitters some of the time, but . . .

Nomo breezed through two innings without surrendering a hit. He walked two in the second, but struck out Matt Walbeck looking to end the inning.

The second time through the Angel order wasn’t so simple.

Leadoff batter Darin Erstad lined a single to right with one out in the third. Adam Kennedy followed with a 392-foot home run to right for a 2-1 Angel lead. Vaughn and Tim Salmon followed with consecutive singles.

Nomo slithered out of the jam, striking out Scott Spiezio with the bases loaded to end the inning. The Angels hardly touched him after that.

“We had some chances early to break the game open,” Scioscia said. “But like Hideo has done his whole career, he was able to make a pitch to get out of situations.”

Bottenfield matched him.

He lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his previous start, leaving after giving nine runs against Toronto. That seemed more like like a glitch after Tuesday’s performance.

He pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up only two earned runs.