He Returns to Scene of the Grime

Scott Schoeneweis, who gave up nine runs in 2 2/3 innings of a 9-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Friday night, regained his composure Saturday and was able to talk about the loss.

“I didn’t feel like there was really anything to say,” said Schoeneweis, who declined interviews Friday.

Schoeneweis has had his ups and downs in his last eight starts. During that span he has a 7.77 earned-run average and has given up 60 hits in 46 2/3 innings. He has also strung together four solid games, going 3-1 during one stretch.

Schoeneweis has given up 22 runs in his last 13 1/3 innings, covering three starts.

“Two of those losses were to Seattle,” Schoeneweis said. “That’s a team that a lot of pitchers have had poor performances against.”

Still, there is concern about the dip Schoeneweis has experienced.

“He needs to make pitches,” Angel pitching coach Bud Black said. “It’s as simple as that.”

With an average fastball, Schoeneweis survives on control. But his pitches lately have ended up in the outfield.

In his first eight starts, Schoeneweis had a 3.04 ERA and gave up 55 hits in 56 1/3 innings.

“He has to consistently make pitch after pitch after pitch,” Black said. “This is a guy who has been a starter in the major leagues for 1 1/2 seasons. We’re not talking about a 10-year veteran.”

The Angel offense let opportunities slip away again Saturday. They stranded nine runners.

First baseman Larry Barnes, batting ninth, left five runners on base. He grounded out with runners on first and second in the second and flied out to left with the bases loaded and the Angels trailing, 4-3, in the sixth.

Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who was activated after Friday’s game, pitched the ninth Saturday. The only hit he gave up was a single by Ichiro Suzuki.

Hasegawa and Suzuki were teammates on the Orix Blue Wave in Japan. Suzuki is two for three against Hasegawa this season.

“That’s showing me no respect,” Hasegawa said, joking. “I have to talk with him about this.”

Hasegawa, who was on the disabled list because of a partial tear in his right rotator cuff and sidelined since May 24, got out of the inning by getting Mark McLemore to hit into a double play.

“My shoulder felt fine,” Hasegawa said. “But I was about 80% out there because I haven’t pitched in so long.”

Hasegawa is not amazed by the number of Japanese journalists who follow Suzuki.

“Madonna and Michael Jackson have more privacy in this country than Ichiro has in Japan,” Hasegawa said.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ MATT WISE

(1-1, 5.00 ERA)

vs.

MARINERS’ FREDDY GARCIA

(8-1, 3.72 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

TV--None. Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

Update--Wise pitched well Tuesday in his last start, giving up only one run in five innings against the Texas Rangers.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.