Angels’ Blank Feeling Extra Distressing

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia’s nickel defense--an unorthodox five-man infield designed to prevent the winning run from scoring in the last inning on the road--actually worked Monday night. If only Scioscia could get his offense to do the same.

The Angels extended their scoreless-innings streak to 26, and the Oakland Athletics scored an unearned run with two outs in the bottom of the 12th to defeat the Angels, 1-0, before 11,222 in Network Associates Coliseum.

Jeremy Giambi started the winning rally with a two-out single to left and took second on Shigetoshi Hasegawa’s wild pitch. Third baseman Troy Glaus failed to glove Olmedo Saenz’s grounder in the hole and was charged with an error.

Terrence Long was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Miguel Tejada grounded an RBI single to right, sending the Angels to their second consecutive shutout, the first time since June 28-29, 1994, in Oakland the Angels have been shut out in two consecutive games. They have not scored since the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against Seattle.

“No disrespect to [Oakland starter] Tim Hudson and their bullpen--they’re great pitchers,” Angel center fielder Darin Erstad said, “but right now, an 8-year-old from Little League would probably be tough for us.”

The Angels managed six singles off Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Mike Magnante and Jeff Tam, putting only two runners in scoring position.

Their losing streak hit five games, and they fell into third place in the American League West, 22 games behind first-place Seattle. The mood in the clubhouse afterward reflected the Angel offense in recent days--dead silence.

“This is past the point of frustration,” Scioscia said. “I’ve played on some good offensive clubs where this has happened. The only way out of it is a combination of hard work and backing off a bit.”

The loss hit Glaus extremely hard. He prides himself on knocking in more runs than he allows every night, and the ledger didn’t look good Monday. Long robbed him of a two-run homer with a spectacular leaping catch above the wall in center in the first, and Glaus struck out in his next three at-bats.

Then he misplayed Saenz’s grounder in the 12th, a play that so disturbed Glaus that he sat for a long time staring into his locker, his head buried in his hands.

“That’s not a tough break--that’s a play he should have made and didn’t make,” Scioscia said. “No one feels worse than Troy. He makes that play 99 times out of 100.”

The A’s nearly won the game in the 11th, as Angel reliever Mike Holtz walked Long to open the inning and Tejada bunted Long to second. Eric Chavez beat out a broken-bat single to shortstop, moving Long to third.

Scioscia moved Erstad from center to first and first baseman Benji Gil from first to the area in front of second base, leaving two players in the outfield.

Hasegawa fell behind pinch-hitter Johnny Damon before throwing three straight strikes for a strikeout, sending Erstad back to the outfield. Billy McMillon then flied to center to end the inning.

Angel starter Jarrod Washburn and Hudson dueled to an eight-inning draw, with Washburn giving up five hits and matching a career high with nine strikeouts and Hudson giving up four hits, striking out six and walking none.

Before the game, the Angels placed Tim Salmon on the 15-day disabled list, giving him a physical break from a left shoulder and upper cervical strain that has bothered him for about a week and a mental break from a season-long slump that has consumed the right fielder.

Salmon is batting .206 with nine home runs and 26 runs batted in and leads the team in both walks (58) and strikeouts (70). He is hitting .108 (7 for 65) with runners in scoring position.

Orlando Palmeiro, Jeff DaVanon, who was recalled from triple-A Salt Lake Monday, and Scott Spiezio will share the right-field job in Salmon’s absence.

“Hopefully Tim will relax a bit,” Scioscia said. “He has to let his shoulder heal. This also gives him a chance to get his mind off what he’s going through. Hopefully that’s a side benefit.”