No Celebration for Glaus

It’s almost as if the baseball gods conspired against Troy Glaus over the weekend, robbing the Angel third baseman of any satisfaction from tying and breaking Reggie Jackson’s franchise record for home runs in a season.

Glaus tied Jackson’s mark, set in 1982, with his 39th home run Friday night, but the Angels blew an 8-2 seventh-inning lead and lost to the White Sox, 9-8.

He hit home run No. 40 in the sixth inning Sunday but also committed a throwing error that helped Chicago score a key unearned run in the seventh, and the Angels lost, 13-12.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t think about those things,” Glaus, 24, said. “Setting records is not as important as winning championships.”

They do count for something though.

“It’s quite an accomplishment,” Angel right fielder Tim Salmon said. “Am I surprised? No. He’ll hit 40 homers every year, and I’m pushing for him to hit 50.

“If he stays healthy and stays here for a long time, he’s going to break all the records. He’s going to be one of those players people remember and talk about for a long time.”

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Since the Angels traded for outfielder/designated hitter Ron Gant on July 30 and a rib-cage injury turned Darin Erstad from a left fielder to a DH on Aug. 25, Scott Spiezio has been reduced to a virtual spectator.

Before Sunday, Spiezio had started only five games since July 30. He had 26 at-bats in that span, collecting four hits.

“Instead of sulking and crying about it, I just have to wait for an opportunity,” Spiezio said. “If it’s one at-bat, it’s one at-bat. I might sit for three days and get one at-bat in the ninth against [closers] John Wetteland or Mariano Rivera. If I’m sulking, I have no chance.”

Spiezio finally got a chance Sunday, and it was more than one at-bat. He made his first career start in the outfield and tied a career high with four runs batted in.

Spiezio’s sacrifice fly capped a four-run first inning, and his three-run home run--his 14th of the season in only 250 at-bats--pulled the Angels to within 9-7 of the White Sox in the third inning.

*

The Angel bullpen has been so stretched that Manager Mike Scioscia turned to seldom-used right-hander Derrick Turnbow in the sixth inning, with the Angels holding an 11-9 lead.

It was only the third time Turnbow has entered a game with the Angels leading, but those other two appearances were in a 12-4 win over Colorado on July 7 and a 12-3 win over Oakland on July 21. Turnbow gave up a leadoff homer to Frank Thomas but then recorded three consecutive outs.

*

Erstad’s homer in the seventh was the first that White Sox left-hander Kelly Wunsch has given up to a left-handed hitter in 70 appearances this season. . . . Thomas, the White Sox DH, drew his 100th walk in the third inning, giving him nine seasons of at least 100 walks, 100 RBIs and 100 runs. Only Babe Ruth (12) and Lou Gehrig (11) have more seasons with production at those levels.

ON DECK * Opponent--Detroit Tigers, four games.

* Site--Comerica Park, Detroit.

* Today--2 p.m. PDT.

* TV--None.

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

* Records--Angels 68-68, Tigers 68-67.

* Record vs. Tigers--3-3.

TODAY

ANGELS’ SCOTT KARL

(0-0, 15.43 ERA)

vs.

TIGERS’ HIDEO NOMO

(5-11, 5.02 ERA)

* Update--Since their 9-23 start through May 11, the Tigers have gone 59-44, positioning themselves for a run at the wild-card berth. But of their nine series this month, six are against teams with winning records. Dean Palmer (26 homers, 89 RBIs), Bobby Higginson (25 homers, 85 RBIs) and Juan Gonzalez (20 homers, 62 RBIs) have provided plenty of power, but pitching has keyed Detroit’s surge--the Tigers led the league with a 3.79 ERA in August, including Steve Sparks’ 1.69 and Brian Moehler’s 2.13, and they have a deep and talented bullpen anchored by closer Todd Jones (37 saves). The Angels will activate reliever Mike Fyhrie off the disabled list today.

* Tuesday, 4 p.m.--Matt Wise (3-2, 4.11) vs. Brian Moehler (11-7, 4.00).

* Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (6-7, 5.15) vs. Steve Sparks (6-2, 3.51).

* Thursday, 4 p.m.--Tim Belcher (2-2, 9.69) vs. Willie Blair (10-4, 5.14).