Angels Shaved by Bell

This is not a carnival game. This is not as automatic as throw hard, knock down the milk bottles and win a prize.

In the cruelest of ways, and at the most inopportune of times, the Angels were reminded that the kid with golden arm cannot win a game by himself. Francisco Rodriguez lost, a fate he did not deserve. The Angels lost Game 4, and the World Series is now a best-of-three.

The San Francisco Giants nicked the Angels’ wondrous rookie for an unearned run in the eighth inning Wednesday. David Bell singled home J.T. Snow with the winning run -- after a passed ball by catcher Bengie Molina allowed Snow to move into scoring position -- and the Giants tied the World Series at two games apiece with a 4-3 victory over the Angels. The Series will return to Anaheim on Saturday.

“Nobody cares about the first four games now,” Angel infielder Benji Gil said. “That’s like asking somebody if they care about the games in spring training. The first four games are completely irrelevant now.”

Still, the games are memorable, the Series compelling. On an evening when baseball saluted its past, trotting out such legends as Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken and Pete Rose in a pregame ceremony, the dramatic crescendo occurred during the game, in the seventh inning.

Now batting, Barry Bonds. Now pitching, Rodriguez. The sellout crowd of 42,703 stood, anticipation flowing through the crowd like electricity, flashbulbs popping from every direction to capture the moment, the best slugger of this generation facing perhaps the best reliever of the next generation.

The Angels had walked Bonds intentionally in each of his first three at-bats. Rodriguez got him, on a ground ball.

At that point, with the score tied, 3-3, the Angels were optimistic. For the seventh and eighth innings, they had Rodriguez. For the ninth, they had closer Troy Percival. If they threw up a run of their own somewhere in there, they would win. They would lead the Series, three games to one, and the Giants would be all but mortally wounded.

“You might get a little spoiled by Francisco,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’s been incredible. He’s virtually gotten everybody out.”

In the seventh, Rodriguez retired the side in order, and a fearsome side it was--Jeff Kent, Bonds, Benito Santiago.

The eighth inning figured to be the easier one. But Snow led off with a single. On the next pitch, as Reggie Sanders squared to bunt, Rodriguez threw a cut fastball that sailed outside. Sanders pulled the bat back, but the ball caromed off Molina’s glove. On the passed ball, Snow took second base.

Sanders, trying to bunt, popped up. Bell then singled home Snow with the winning run. And although Rodriguez said he took responsibility for leaving a breaking ball up to Snow and leaving a fastball up to Bell, Molina took responsibility for the defeat.

“I don’t think a couple of pitches cost us the game,” Molina said. “The passed ball I had cost us the game.”

After the final out, Rodriguez sat in the dugout, alone with his thoughts and the first loss of his brief major league career. He had pitched in eight playoff games this season, and the Angels had won them all.

With a little help from his friends, he would still have yet to give up a run in the majors. In five appearances in September, he did not give up a run. In the playoffs, he has given up three runs--the unearned run Wednesday, and a two-run home run to the Yankees’ Alfonso Soriano, who would not have batted had Gil not botched a double play in the inning.

So, asked what he might say to Rodriguez today, Angel pitching coach Bud Black scoffed at the question.

“I’m going to say hi,” Black said. “Hey, nobody is invincible.”

And, on a night the Angel bats took the last six innings off, first baseman Scott Spiezio said the responsibility for defeat should not be shouldered solely by Molina, or by Rodriguez.

“For those guys to take it on their shoulders is crazy,” Spiezio said.

The Angels jumped on San Francisco starter Kirk Rueter for three runs and seven hits in the first three innings. They got a sacrifice fly from David Eckstein in the second inning and a two-run homer from Troy Glaus in the third.

The home run was the seventh for Glaus in the playoffs, tying Bonds for the record in a postseason.

However, over the final six innings, the Angels sent the minimum 18 batters to the plate. Garret Anderson singled in the fifth inning, but Glaus hit into a double play. Spiezio singled in the sixth, but Molina hit into a double play. Adam Kennedy singled in the ninth against Giant closer Robb Nen, but Brad Fullmer grounded into a game-ending double play.

Some day, John Lackey will be able to tell his children that he started a World Series game on his birthday, and that he singled in his first major league at-bat.

He will not, however, be able to tell them that he earned the victory. Lackey, who turned 24 Wednesday, pitched four shutout innings before giving up three runs in the fifth.

The team that loses tonight will have no losses to spare. The Angels turn to ace Jarrod Washburn.

“The pressure’s on,” Washburn said. “The game is huge. I want to be that guy. Everything is riding on my performance.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Postseason Home Runs

Most home runs in one postseason:

*--* HR Player Team Games Year 7 Barry Bonds San Francisco 14 2002 7 Troy Glaus Angels 13 2002 6 Bob Robertson Pittsburgh 11 1971 6 Len Dykstra Philadelphia 12 1993 6 Ken Griffey Jr Seattle 11 1995 6 Bernie Williams New York Yankees 15 1996 6 Jim Thome Cleveland 10 1998 5 Reggie Jackson New York Yankees 11 1977 5 Davey Lopes Dodgers 10 1978 5 Willie Stargell Pittsburgh 10 1979 5 Juan Gonzalez Texas 4 1996 5 Fred McGriff Atlanta 16 1996

*--*

Note -- With 22 postseason home runs and counting, the Angels have shattered Atlanta’s team record of 19 homers set in 1995.