Zito Vetoes Angel Plans

If not for Barry Zito, this could have been an electrifying weekend of anticipation at Edison Field. The Angels expect a sellout crowd tonight, and they plan to distribute 70,000 red wavy sticks--the kind that basketball fans wave to distract free-throw shooters--so that their fans can use them to annoy the Seattle Mariners, and to have a good time.

The Angels sent Ramon Ortiz home Thursday afternoon, so he could be rested and ready when he starts against the Mariners tonight. If the Angels had won Thursday, the momentum would have been theirs, and they need all the momentum they can get because they have lost 12 consecutive games to Seattle at Edison Field. They could have dreamed about a weekend sweep, one that would have allowed them to share first place in the American League West with Seattle.

If not for Zito, that is. The Seattle series will be no less important, and perhaps no less fun, but the Angels cannot climb to first place this weekend, and they might fall into third. Zito and two relievers combined on a six-hit shutout Thursday, giving the Oakland Athletics a 2-0 victory and dropping the Angels four games behind the Mariners.

The Angels also fell into a second-place tie with Oakland. And, without the momentum of a victory, they were left to discuss not only their loss Thursday but their long home losing streak against Seattle.

“It’s like guys who go up against Tiger Woods,” outfielder Tim Salmon said. “They think they have to be perfect, and that gives him an advantage. We just have to go out and play our game.”

The Angels threw a scare into the A’s in the ninth inning, with Zito already icing his arm. Salmon and Garret Anderson started the ninth with back-to-back singles against Oakland closer Billy Koch, but Troy Glaus was robbed of an extra-base hit on a spectacular leaping catch by right fielder Jermaine Dye and Shawn Wooten was robbed of an extra-base hit on an even more spectacular diving catch by center fielder Terrence Long. Koch struck out Adam Kennedy to end the game.

On a night when Angel starter Aaron Sele was very good, giving up two runs in seven innings, Zito was magnificent.

Nothing new, at least not lately. Zito faced the Angels twice in April, losing one game and receiving no decision in the other, but since then he has been as dominant for the A’s as Jarrod Washburn has been for the Angels. The Angels already knew about Zito’s terrific fastball and curve; he wowed them Thursday with a changeup too.

“That’s the pitch he’s added since the last time we faced him,” David Eckstein said, “that makes him dominant.”

Zito (13-3), tied for the league lead in victories, has lost once since April 30. He pitched 7 1/3 innings Thursday and gave up four hits, all singles.

After Zito retired nine of the first 10 hitters, the Angels loaded the bases with none out in the fourth inning. Glaus, who had struck out three times in his first six at-bats in the series, made two outs this time. He grounded back to Zito, who started a 1-2-3 double play.

Wooten then popped up, ending the inning. Glaus and Wooten became the first of 11 consecutive batters retired by Zito.

Oakland infielder Randy Velarde, a former Angel, said he foresees the Angels, A’s and Mariners extending the three-team AL West race deep into September. Velarde said the only factor he could see stopping the Angels was the one that stopped them when he played in Anaheim.

“Those guys have always been decimated by injuries, four or five guys at one time,” he said.

The Angels return to Anaheim after an eight-game trip that included four losses and three players put on the disabled list, including closer Troy Percival and catcher Bengie Molina. Here come the Mariners.