Percival to Get a Break

The Angels’ last 14 victories have been by three runs or fewer, with nine by one run, but if they find themselves ahead in the ninth inning of another tight game tonight, they will probably have to proceed without closer Troy Percival.

Percival needed 22 pitches--and a little luck--to retire the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning for his 14th save Thursday. Combined with his 29-pitch effort Wednesday and a 16-pitch save Tuesday, Percival has thrown 67 pitches in three days, which adds up to a much-needed day off tonight for the right-hander.

“Three games in a row is pushing it,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “That’s as far as I like to stretch Troy.”

Percival blew a save opportunity for the second time this season Wednesday night, giving up two unearned runs in the ninth inning of an eventual 6-5 Angel victory, and he got himself into more trouble Thursday, giving up a leadoff single to Matt Lawton and a one-out walk to David Ortiz.

But Twin rookie Brian Buchanan, leaning out of the way of a high-and-inside, full-count fastball, could not prevent his bat from swinging, and he struck out, almost by accident. Percival got Jacque Jones on a game-ending groundout, preserving a 3-1 victory.

“I don’t know what happened [with Buchanan], but I’ll take it,” Percival said. “He knew I was throwing a fastball and seemed determined to swing. It’s kind of tough to lay off when a pitch does that.”

*

After limiting the Twins to one run on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, Angel left-hander Scott Schoeneweis began looking forward to his Tuesday start against former Angel ace Chuck Finley at Cleveland.

Schoeneweis spent much of his 1999 stay in Anaheim watching every move Finley made, trying to absorb as much knowledge as he could from the veteran left-hander, who signed with the Indians as a free agent last winter.

“When the year is over, I’ll look back and think how it was pretty cool pitching against the guy who took me under his wing,” Schoeneweis said. “I’m not going to try to impress him. I’m just going to try to keep matching zeros with him and keep us in the game.”

ON DECK

* Opponent--Kansas City Royals, three games.

* Site--Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

* Tonight--5 PDT.

* TV--Channel 9, all three games.

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

* Records--Angels 25-22, Royals 23-23.

* Record vs. Royals--2-1.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

SETH ETHERTON

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)

vs.

ROYALS’

CHRIS FUSSELL

(3-2, 5.11 ERA)

* Update--To make room for Etherton on the roster, the Angels on Thursday sent reliever Brett Hinchliffe to triple-A Edmonton. Mo Vaughn’s first-inning home run Thursday gave the Angels 41 homers this month, matching the franchise record for May set by the 1961 team. The Angels have 54 homers in the last 28 games and 75 this season, second-most in the league.

* Saturday, 5 p.m. PDT--Kent Bottenfield (3-5, 4.96) vs. Jay Witasick (0-4, 7.98).

* Sunday, 11 a.m. PDT--Brian Cooper (1-0, 6.00) vs. Miguel Batista (2-2, 5.70).