Valdes Gives Reason for Optimism in Return

He did not pitch deep into the game and he did not have pinpoint control, but considering Ismael Valdes hadn’t played in 20 days, the Angels were thrilled with the right-hander’s performance Thursday.

Valdes, on the disabled list since June 15 because of an inflamed right shoulder, gave up two runs and four hits in five innings of the Angels’ 5-2 victory over the A’s, striking out six and walking three.

The right-hander gave up a solo home run to Miguel Tejada in the second inning and enabled the A’s to load the bases on a single, a hit batter and a walk in the third. But Valdes knocked down Tejada’s hard comebacker, retrieved the ball behind the mound and threw out Tejada at first to end the inning.

Valdes found more trouble in the fourth when Terrence Long opened with a single and took third on Eric Chavez’s double. But Valdes minimized the damage to one run by getting Olmedo Saenz to ground to third, Billy McMillon to ground to second, with the run scoring, and Johnny Damon to fly to center.

“For Valdes to give us a start like that was huge,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Even though it was only five innings, he maintained his stuff and got out of some big jams.”

Because Valdes was on a pitch count, Scioscia pulled him to start the sixth after 81 pitches. Shigetoshi Hasegawa pitched a scoreless sixth, Mike Holtz retired one batter in the seventh, Al Levine pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Troy Percival pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

The four shutout innings helped the Angel bullpen reduce its earned-run average to 2.93, the third best in baseball.

“The bullpen has been great for a couple years, ever since I got here,” third baseman Troy Glaus said. “They had to throw a lot of innings last year, and they did a great job keeping us in games.”

The Angels didn’t have to contend with Oakland’s best hitter, Jason Giambi, who was in the original lineup as the designated hitter before he was scratched because of a strained right calf. . . . Angel right fielder Orlando Palmeiro had two hits and scored two runs, improving his average to .421 (40 for 95) against the A’s.

ON DECK

Opponent--Colorado Rockies, three games.

Site--Coors Field, Denver.

Tonight--6 PDT.

TV--Channel 9.

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

Records--Angels 39-45, Rockies 39-45.

Record vs. Rockies (2000)--3-0.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

RAMON ORTIZ

(6-6, 4.14 ERA)

vs.

ROCKIES’

MIKE HAMPTON

(9-4, 3.76 ERA)

Update--The Angels will be at a distinct disadvantage tonight. Not only do they lose the designated hitter in the National League park, but the Rockies have the best hitting pitcher in baseball in Hampton, who is batting .311 (14 for 45) with six home runs, three short of the major league record of nine by a pitcher, set by the Cleveland Indians’ Wes Ferrell in 1931. Saturday, 5 p.m. PDT--Jarrod Washburn (6-4, 3.55) vs. Denny Neagle (6-2, 4.36).

Sunday, noon PDT--Pat Rapp (2-9, 4.63) vs. Shawn Chacon (4-4, 5.30).