Recurring Theme for Angels: Bad Start, Bad Ending

When the losing ends, and they’re sure it will, the triumph will probably come from their fleet of young starting pitchers, still learning that it is one thing to pitch in the big leagues, quite another to win there.

Jarrod Washburn stood Sunday evening in a brown suit, with round spectacles on a face not yet 26. His turn comes tonight, just as the losing streak has become real, just as the losing has begun to show in the bent postures of his clubhouse elders.

“It’s definitely in my mind right now,” he said. “There’s nothing more I want to do than go seven or eight innings, win a game. We’re struggling. We need a few wins.”

The Angels came to Cleveland, lost all three games to the Indians, including Sunday’s 5-2 loss at Jacobs Field, and returned to Anaheim having lost five consecutive games and 11 of 15.

They are eight games behind the Seattle Mariners in the American League West, and for the better part of two weeks haven’t had a starting rotation with which to defend themselves. Since July 22, Angel starters have a 1-7 record and an 8.47 earned-run average, and they have averaged barely five innings a start. The only winner was Kent Bottenfield, and he was traded away more than a week ago.

Brian Cooper is 0-4 in that stretch after taking Sunday’s loss. He allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings and gave up four home runs, two by Roberto Alomar. Jim Thome and Einar Diaz had the others.

Cooper is 4-7 with a 5.53 ERA, which is bloated because he has allowed nine home runs in four starts. That’s a lot of home runs against anyone, and nearly catastrophic for a sinkerball pitcher such as Cooper, who is working to adjust his mechanics even as the Angels fall deeper in the standings.

Though he said it appeared Cooper “regressed” in terms of command, Manager Mike Scioscia said he believed Cooper could turn it around at the big-league level. Injuries to the likes of Seth Etherton and Kent Mercker make it almost compulsory.

“It’s tough, but [pitching coach Bud Black] is extremely positive, which really helps,” Cooper said. “They don’t really get on you for going out and doing bad. My bullpens have been great.

“The guys, they’re battling every day. If I can give them a good five or six innings we’ll be in these games and most likely we’ll win them.”

Instead, the Angels find themselves in recurring trouble early.

The Indians scored twice in the first inning on back-to-back homers by Alomar and Thome.

The Angels scored twice in the second against Bartolo Colon (10-8), on a misplayed popup hit by Adam Kennedy and a double by Kevin Stocker.

The Indians broke the tie in the third, on Alomar’s second home run, and Diaz hit a two-run homer with none out in the fourth. From there, the Angels were 0 for 8, including four strikeouts with runners in scoring position.

“We need those consistent starts from our starting pitcher,” Scioscia said. “We’re not getting them and it does make it difficult.”

Washburn returns today from 16 days on the disabled list, passing Etherton on the way onto the 25-man roster. He laughed and said that it seems the Angels’ four young starters--Washburn, Etherton, Cooper and Scott Schoeneweis--have become one pitcher, taking the ball four times a rotation.

They hang out together. They talk pitching. They hold the defeats in the pits of their stomachs.

“When Coop takes a loss, we all feel it,” Washburn said. “It hurts to see your buddies beaten up. We’re friends. Teammates. You don’t want [them] to do badly. We’re all pretty much in the same boat. We’re five guys--including Ken Hill--trying to get the job done. It’s a good thing. Some days it’s a bad thing. But it’s something we’ve got to battle through.

“I’m looking forward to [tonight] for a lot of reasons. First game back from the DL, it’s important for me and the team.”