All Things Considered, a Good Outing for Hill

This one qualified as a quality start for Ken Hill. He may no longer be the hammer he once was, but he managed to chisel his way to his fifth victory Saturday.

Hill went 5 2/3 innings in the Angels’ 6-2 victory over Colorado at Edison Field. He gave up eight hits and walked two batters and worked most of the afternoon from the stretch position.

Still, it was a step forward. Hill lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his last start, his second since returning from a strained rib-cage muscle.

“It’s good to get into a normal routine, where I’m pitching every five days,” said Hill, who was supposed to be the Angels’ No. 1 starter this season.

Hill needed double plays to blunt threats from the Rockies in the first and third innings. He also loaded the bases with the Angels leading, 5-1, in the fifth. He got out of it when Larry Walker just missed on a 92-mph fastball and flied out to center field.

“I would get two outs on two or three pitches, then throw 13 more to get the last out,” Hill said.

Hill threw 107 pitches, and seemed to hit empty after a 13-pitch battle with catcher Scott Servais with Mike Lansing at second and one out in the sixth. Servais fouled off six 3-2 pitches, including one that hooked just outside the foul pole in left. He popped up to second baseman Adam Kennedy.

Manager Mike Scioscia went to the mound to check on Hill, who stayed and gave up a run-scoring double to Neifi Perez.

“Ken was hitting the corners today, that was the biggest difference from his last start,” Scioscia said. “Not many guys can hit corners like that with a 94-mph fastball. He just needs to be consistent.”

Hill is 5-5 with a 6.88 earned-run average.

*

When Hill was pulled, he left with the game in good hands. Angel relievers have given up only eight earned runs in their last 33 2/3 innings, covering seven games.

Mike Holtz replaced Hill and struck out Tom Goodwin to end the sixth. Shigetoshi Hasegawa went two innings, striking out two. Troy Percival struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.

Angel relievers have struck out 25 batters in those 33 1/3 innings.

“Shige and Troy have been the MVPs of the bullpen,” Scioscia said.

Percival has had little to do with the bullpen’s recent success. He has pitched only twice during the nine games on this home stand, with one save.

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Add Colorado’s Walker to the list of people impressed with Angel third baseman Troy Glaus.

After seeing Glaus hit two long home runs in a 12-4 Angel victory Friday, Walker said, “We’ve seen too much of him. He kicked our butts all spring. He’s a good strong kid. He can hit for power and average.”

Anything else?

Walker laughed and said, “He plays good defense too. He deserves to go to the All-Star game.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN BOTTENFIELD

(4-7, 5.78 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’ MASATO YOSHII

(4-8, 5.08 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

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

* Update--Yoshii, after starting the season 1-7, has turned things around in his last four starts. He is 3-1 in that span with a 3.38 earned-run average. Bottenfield, meanwhile, has gone the other way. He is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in his last four starts. The Angels have won six of nine games on the home stand, with one game left before the All-Star break.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.