Zito Puts Angels in Their Place

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia looked forward to Tuesday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics and the start of the second series in less than a week between the AL West rivals.

Five days before, Oakland left-hander Barry Zito and two relievers had shut out Scioscia’s team. But much has changed for the Angels in the short time since.

“This is where the schedule adds some flavor to the matchups,” Scioscia said.

The outcome against Zito and the A’s bullpen, once again, was anything but sweet.

Zito and four relievers squelched several threats as the A’s defeated the Angels, 2-1, before 25,370 at Edison Field and moved into a virtual tie with the Angels for second place in the division.

“We had opportunities, and Zito, again much like in Oakland when we had something started, he made some terrific pitches to get out of some jams,” Scioscia said.

Oakland shortstop Miguel Tejada saved at least one run with his glove in the fifth, provided Zito and the A’s with all they needed with a two-run homer in the sixth against Kevin Appier--and opened the door for the Angels in the ninth.

With the Angels trailing, 2-1 and Oakland closer Billy Koch on the mound, pinch-hitter Adam Kennedy hit a high pop-up to shallow left field. Tejada settled under it, but the ball popped out of his glove for an error.

David Eckstein’s sacrifice bunt advanced Kennedy to second, but Darin Erstad lined out to left field and Koch got Tim Salmon to hit a ground ball to first baseman John Mabry for his 25th save.

The loss ended the Angels’ three-game winning streak and left them and the A’s two games behind the Seattle Mariners.

It also spoiled an outstanding performance by Appier, who gave up two runs and four hits in eight innings, his longest outing of the season.

“I just pitched on the wrong night,” Appier said.

Zito, who became the first 14-game winner in the American League, had not allowed a run in three consecutive starts. He had pitched 21 1/3 scoreless innings dating to July 7.

He gave up five singles, struck out five and walked four in 6 1/3 innings as Oakland won for the 17th time in their last 20 games against the Angels and improved to 7-3 this season against them.

Thursday, Zito and two relievers combined on a six-hit shutout that gave the A’s a 2-0 victory that dropped the Angels four games behind the Mariners entering a weekend series against the AL West leaders.

The Angels responded by blowing out the Mariners, 15-3, in the series opener, then posted consecutive come-from-behind victories to sweep Seattle for the first time since 1998 and pull to within one game of first place.

The Angels were batting .307 with runners in scoring position, but they had only two opportunities against Zito, who has lost only once since April 30.

The Angels’ first two batters reached first base against Zito, but neither advanced. Eckstein walked and was retired on a force play on Erstad’s ground ball to Tejada, and catcher Ramon Hernandez threw out Ertsad trying to steal second base.

Zito issued three more walks through the first four innings but did not allow a hit until the fifth when Shawn Wooten and Scott Spiezio started the inning with consecutive singles.

Zito struck out Jose Molina and Benji Gil before hitting Eckstein with a pitch to load the bases. It was the major-league leading 17th time Eckstein was hit.

The Angels, however, had their hopes dashed when Erstad laced a line drive to the hole on the left side of the infield where Tejada made a diving catch to end the inning.

Tejada’s role in the outcome was just beginning.

With one out in the sixth, Appier walked Scott Hatteberg before Tejada stepped to the plate and bombed a 2-and-2 pitch over the left-field fence for his 21st homer and a 2-0 lead.

The homer extended Tejada’s hitting streak to 12 games.

“When you make a great play and then you go to bat, the pitcher better be careful because you’re really happy,” Tejada said. “You go to the plate with a lot of confidence.”

The Angels threatened again in the sixth when Garret Anderson singled with one out and Shawn Wooten singled one out later. Zito, however, got Spiezio to pop out to second baseman Mark Ellis.

The Angels finally broke through in the seventh after Jose Molina led off with a single and Benji Gil hit a fly ball to deep left field for an out.

A’s Manager Art Howe replaced Zito, who had thrown 112 pitches, with Chad Bradford, who had not allowed a run in his last 10 outings and had stranded each of the 15 runners he inherited over his last 17 games.

Bradford got Eckstein to hit a ground ball to Tejada, who forced Molina at second, but the speedy Eckstein scored when Erstad drilled a shot down the first-base line that he legged into a triple.

Tim Salmon, who was six for 11 in the first three games of the homestand, took a called third strike to end the inning.

The Angels had a chance to tie the score in the eighth when Troy Glaus and Wooten hit one-out singles against Jim Mecir.

But Spiezio took a called third strike on a 3-and-2 pitch and pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro hit a ground ball to Ellis, who threw to Tejada at second base for a force out.