Ortiz Makes Rangers Easy Pickings, 7-2

The difference between the 2001 version of Ramon Ortiz and the 2000 model, in Angel Manager Mike Scioscia’s eyes, is the young Dominican right-hander’s ability to handle himself under duress.

“His confidence level is high, and any adversity that comes up during the game is not a crushing blow,” Scioscia said. “He’s learned how to get through the tough inning and turn the page.”

Scioscia couldn’t really put his theory to the test Wednesday night, because Ortiz did not face any adversity. He was so dominant and the offense staked him to such a big early lead that he seemed to cruise through the Angels’ 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers before 16,974 in Edison Field.

Mixing his 93-mph fastball with off-speed sliders and changeups, Ortiz gave up two runs on five hits and struck out seven in 7 1/3 innings to improve to 2-0. Of his 109 pitches, 71 were strikes.

Only two Rangers reached second base before Ortiz tired in the eighth, walking Chad Curtis to open the inning and giving up Ruben Mateo’s double, Rusty Greer’s RBI groundout and Randy Velarde’s RBI double.

When Scioscia came to the mound to pull his starter for reliever Ben Weber, Ortiz received a rousing ovation.

In his two starts this season, both against Texas, Ortiz has limited one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups to four runs on nine hits in 14 1/3 innings and has 17 strikeouts.

“He started the game strong and really stayed on top of a power-packed lineup,” Scioscia said. “He used all of his pitches, he had a lively fastball, and he changed speeds well.

“If you’re not getting balls in good locations against that club, they’re going to get some good hacks. But they didn’t get many good hacks.”

The Angels did, again giving Ortiz solid support. They have now scored 17 runs in the two games he has started this season.

Center fielder Darin Erstad had three hits, two of them doubles, and three runs batted in, and shortstop Benji Gil continued his torrid offensive streak with a homer, a double, a single and three RBIs to lead the Angels’ 12-hit attack Wednesday night.

Gil went hitless in five at-bats and struck out three times in Oakland last Friday night, his average falling to .167. Scioscia, sensing Gil was pressing in the No. 2 spot, dropped him to ninth, hoping the demotion would help Gil “relax a bit.”

Some breather. Gil has 10 hits in 11 at-bats and six RBIs since the move, improving his average to .522.

“I’ve heard some players say they relax more at the bottom of the lineup,” Gil said. “It varies from player to player. But if my name is in the lineup, that’s good for me.”

If Gil keeps hitting like this, especially against right-handers, Scioscia may never take him out of the lineup. Gil hit .202 against right-handers last season, and Scioscia benched him in favor of Jose Nieves in the Angels’ two previous games against right-handers.

But Scioscia stuck with Gil’s hot bat against Ranger right-hander Ryan Glynn Wednesday night, and that decision paid huge dividends.

Gil followed David Eckstein’s second-inning walk by lining Glynn’s first pitch over the wall in center for a two-run home run and a 2-0 lead, the first time in eight games the Angels have scored first.

After Bengie Molina and Eckstein singled in the fourth, Gil singled to right to load the bases for Erstad, who slapped a double past the third base bag and into the left-field corner.

The lead runners scored standing up, and Gil raced home from first. Shortstop Alex Rodriguez’s perfect relay from shallow left beat the runner home, but Gil kicked the ball out of catcher Ivan Rodriguez’s glove with his slide and scored to make it 5-0.

Troy Glaus led off the fifth with his fourth homer, giving the Angels a 6-0 lead, and Gil followed Eckstein’s walk in the seventh with an RBI double to right for a 7-0 lead.