Angels, Bottenfield Picking Up Speed

Kent Bottenfield did not arrive in Anaheim this spring with a nickname. Control specialists with fastballs in the 85-mph range do not inspire much in the way of catchy monikers.

That could change with a few more outings like Friday night’s. The Express, he was not, and no one was about to insert a “Big Train” or “Rocket” between his first and last names, but Bottenfield definitely put the “fast” back in his fastball.

The right-hander who was acquired from St. Louis in the Jim Edmonds trade used the additional heat to pitch 6 1/3 scoreless innings, and a shaky Angel bullpen held on in the end for a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners before 38,307 in Safeco Field.

After Tim Salmon’s two-run homer highlighted a three-run eighth, giving the Angels a 5-0 lead, the Mariners scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth off relievers Mark Petkovsek and Shigetoshi Hasegawa.

Darin Erstad’s two-out triple and Adam Kennedy’s clutch RBI single off reliever Arthur Rhodes pushed the Angels ahead, 6-4, in the top of the ninth.

The Mariners then nicked Angel closer Troy Percival--literally--for a run in the bottom of the ninth before Percival retired Tom Lampkin on a fly ball to right with runners on first and third for his eighth save. The victory moved the Angels into a first-place tie with Seattle in the American League West.

Stan Javier, whose leadoff homer sparked Seattle’s rally in the eighth, smashed a liner off the inside of Percival’s left thumb in the ninth, the ball caroming to shortstop Benji Gil, who threw out Javier.

Percival stayed in the game, walking Alex Rodriguez and giving up singles to John Olerud (for a run) and Edgar Martinez before retiring Lampkin, but the thumb swelled up quickly, and the seams of the ball left an imprint on Percival’s hand.

X-rays taken immediately after the game were negative, and Percival, though his left elbow stiffened a bit, believes he’ll be OK.

Bottenfield also has a minor injury, a slight strain of his left hamstring that has been nagging him for more than a week, but it didn’t seem to affect him Friday night.

With a fastball that routinely topped 90 mph, Bottenfield (3-3) gave up just four hits, struck out seven and walked three. The Mariners had so much trouble getting around on his pitches that left-handed batters hit seven weak fly balls to the opposite field against Bottenfield.

“He’s not a guy who relies on velocity, he’s a command pitcher,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said of Bottenfield, who struck out a season-high nine in a win over Tampa Bay Sunday. “But the last couple of games his velocity has stepped up and his command is still sharp.”

Salmon and Troy Glaus backed Bottenfield with three hits and two RBIs apiece, Glaus’ third single capping the Angels’ three-run eighth, and though the bullpen broke down in the bottom of the eighth, it did help Bottenfield out of a seventh-inning jam.

Trailing, 2-0, Martinez opened the Mariner seventh with a single, and after Lampkin flied out, Mike Cameron fouled off several pitches before drawing a walk.

With Bottenfield’s pitch count at 108, Scioscia pulled the starter in favor of Petkovsek, who had not allowed a run in his previous 8 2/3 innings covering seven appearances.

Petkovsek got Raul Ibanez to foul out to third, but the right-hander inexplicably walked Carlos Guillen, the No. 9 batter, on four pitches. Petkovsek threw two more balls to Mark McLemore, who eventually worked a full count.

With all three runners starting with the pitch, McLemore chopped a grounder toward second base. Kennedy, who botched a similar play that cost the Angels a run in a 1-0 loss at Tampa Bay on April 23, fielded the ball cleanly despite being partially screened by the runner and threw to first in time.

After Lampkin’s two-run double knocked Petkovsek out in the eighth, Cameron ripped Hasegawa’s first pitch for an RBI double, pulling Seattle to within 5- 4, but Hasegawa got Ibanez to line out and Guillen to ground out, ending the inning.

“It was a good win for us,” Percival said. “Everyone is not going to be sharp every day, but we did well to hold that team to five runs, and we’ll take the victory.”