Clayton’s Sixth-Inning Slam Helps Texas to 13-11 Victory

When you play 162 games over sixmonths, real life will invariably intrude on baseball, as it did for the Angels Friday when they learned that pitcher Kent Mercker had been hospitalized because of a brain hemorrhage.

“But when you play this game, instincts take over, and you’re able to play through tough times,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I’m sure these guys will do that.”

They did, but just not well enough. Though catcher Bengie Molina belted two solo home runs, an RBI double and a single, and Tim Salmon, Mo Vaughn and Garret Anderson all homered Friday night, the Texas Rangers flexed just as much muscle in a 13-11 victory over the Angels before 35,305 at Edison Field.

Royce Clayton’s grand slam on Angel left-hander Scott Schoeneweis’ full-count pitch in the sixth inning capped a five-run outburst by the Rangers that broke a 4-4 tie.

Ivan Rodriguez hit a solo home run in the seventh, two triples and scored four runs, Ruben Mateo homered in the fourth, doubled in the eighth and scored three runs, and Mike Lamb had a two-run home run in the third to pace Texas’ 14-hit attack.

The Angels threatened in the eighth, cutting their deficit to 11-8 on Molina’s RBI double and Darin Erstad’s RBI single, and there were two runners on when Adam Kennedy flied to the warning track in center to end the inning.

But the Rangers got those two runs back in the ninth on Rodriguez’s RBI triple and Rafael Palmeiro’s sacrifice fly against reliever Mike Fyhrie. Those runs proved critical to the Rangers and closer John Wetteland in the ninth.

Vaughn led off the bottom of the inning with his team-leading 10th homer of the season, Salmon doubled to left, and Anderson smacked a two-run homer to center, his seventh, pulling the Angels to within 11-9.

After Troy Glaus grounded out to third, Orlando Palmeiro singled to center. But Molina popped to second, and Wetteland struck out Scott Spiezio for his 300th save--and certainly one of his ugliest.

“We battled as usual,” Scioscia said. “Obviously our thoughts and prayers are with Merck and his family. That’s a priority for us. But there’s something about this game, when you get between the lines, that puts off-the-field stuff out of your mind.”

Schoeneweis, who won his first four decisions, suffered his second consecutive loss, giving up a season-high nine runs on nine hits--three of them homers--in six innings, walking two and striking out none. Texas left-hander Doug Davis, who gave up five runs on seven hits in six innings, got the win.

*

Like a car that veers toward the side of the road when you take your hands off the steering wheel, Angel pitcher Jarrod Washburn was in need of a front-end alignment this season.

In examining why Washburn suffered a strained rib-cage muscle in 1999 and re-injured the same area in spring training, Washburn said “a combination of about 12 people,” meaning doctors, trainers and coaches, discovered that his back and hips were not straight during his delivery.

Once Washburn corrected his mechanical flaw and learned several exercises to help keep his body aligned, the left-hander found he was able to throw his fastball about five mph faster, in the 91-94 mph range, than he did last season.

“Now that I’m throwing harder, it makes my changeup better,” said Washburn, who went 3-0 with a 3.52 earned-run average in five starts at triple-A Edmonton before being recalled to start tonight against the Rangers. “I’m back to my old self.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

JARROD WASHBURN

(2000 debut)

vs.

RANGERS’

RICK HELLING

(4-1, 2.44 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net

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

* Update--The Kent Mercker situation knocked baseball down on the Angels’ priority list Friday, and Mike Scioscia certainly empathized with his players--he found it difficult to even discuss how Mercker’s loss would affect the rotation next week. “That’s not where our thoughts are right now,” Scioscia said.. Washburn, who has a 10-8 record and 4.91 ERA in 21 major league starts, took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his last triple-A start, a 4-2 victory over Memphis on Sunday.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.