Bases Loaded? Call Eckstein

Now that Shaq and Kobe have taken their ball and gone home for the summer, Southern California can turn its attention to the region’s newest superstar. He doesn’t look the part. He doesn’t enjoy talking about himself. He might walk down the street without anyone noticing, or stopping him for an autograph.

He is the Angels’ David Eckstein, an otherwise mild-mannered shortstop who turns into a superstar with the bases loaded. He didn’t hit another grand slam Wednesday, but he stole the show once again, stepping to the plate with the bases loaded and delivering a game-winning triple in the Angels’ 8-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 17,096 at Edison Field.

Brad Fullmer scored three runs, and Benji Gil drove in two, as the Angels remained one game behind the Seattle Mariners--and four games ahead of the surging Oakland Athletics--in the American League West. Troy Percival earned his seventh save in 11 days, and his 15th of the season.

Eckstein is turning into the 21st-century equivalent of Pat Tabler, a decent hitter who turned into Babe Ruth with the bases loaded. In eight at-bats with the bases loaded this season, Eckstein has driven in 16 runs. He has four hits--three grand slams, a category in which he leads the major leagues, and the triple Wednesday.

His slugging percentage with the bases loaded: 1.875. Take that, Barry Bonds.

Ben Weber got the victory for the Angels, although he gave up one run and four hits in two innings.

With the score tied 4-4 in the seventh inning, and one out, Scott Spiezio walked. With two out, Fullmer walked. Orlando Palmeiro followed with an infield single, loading the bases for the superstar.

Eckstein flared an apparent single into center field, a line drive that dropped tantalizingly close to Pirate outfielder Chad Hermansen. On the short hop, the ball caromed off Hermansen’s left leg and rolled into right field. So the bases were cleared, Eckstein had a triple, and the Angels had all the runs they would need.

The Pirates got one back in the eighth inning, when Pokey Reese singled home Craig Wilson. The Angels got one more in the bottom of the eighth, when Spiezio singled home Darin Erstad.

Angel starter Aaron Sele did exactly what the team asks him to do--pitch innings, and give the team a chance to win. It wasn’t pretty on this night, but it was effective.

Sele gave up four runs in six innings. To be more precise, he gave up four runs in one inning--the fourth inning.

Jason Kendall and Brian Giles opened the inning with back-to-back singles. One out later, Wilson doubled home both runners.

Kevin Young singled Wilson to third, and a walk to Rob Mackowiak loaded the bases. Reese singled home a run, Hermansen drove in another on a sacrifice fly, and the Pirates had four in the fourth.

But Sele did not breeze in any inning. The Pirates put at least one runner on base against Sele in every inning but the fifth, and even then they would have but for a spectacular bare-hand stop and off-balance throw by third baseman Troy Glaus.

Sele has the highest earned-run average among the Angel starters, 4.97. But he doesn’t worry about his statistics so long as the team is winning. Of the last nine games he has started, the Angels have won eight.

Fullmer, who rarely starts against left-handers, got the start Wednesday and got the Angels off to a good start. In the second inning, Fullmer doubled home two runs against Pirate left-hander Joe Beimel, lifting the Angels to a 2-0 lead. Fullmer later scored on a single by Gil.

Fullmer scored the tying run in the sixth inning. With two on and two out, Gil delivered his second single of the evening, tying the score, 4-4.

Beimel, making his second start of the season after 22 relief appearances, pitched five innings and left after 80 pitches. He gave up three runs and seven hits, walking three.