Angels Finally Lose

All season the Angels have been practicing Manager Mike Scioscia’s maxim of worrying about one game at a time.

They haven’t panicked in bad stretches and they certainly didn’t admire themselves too much during their 10-game winning streak, the second-longest in franchise history.

And after the run came to an end with Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics in front of 28,145 at Edison Field in the first game of a four-game series, the Angel clubhouse was still full of players who seemed worried about very little at all.

The Angels (88-55) may have fallen three games behind the Athletics (91-52) in the American League West race, but they maintained a four-game lead for the AL wild card over the Seattle Mariners.

“This was a situation we knew was possible, as far as the division being so tight,” said Angel starter Kevin Appier, who lost for the first time since Aug. 2. “Unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of it tonight.”

Appier (14-10), who had won five consecutive starts with a 1.09 earned-run average in that span, gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

“That was some of the best pitching we’ve seen all year,” Scioscia said of Appier and Oakland starter Tim Hudson.

“Hudson and those guys were just one step ahead of us. They played some great defense to squelch anything we started.

“You’re talking about the top two pitching staffs in the league. The games are going to be tight, and you’ve got to play good fundamental defense.”

Hudson (13-9) got the victory after giving up one run and six hits in 7 1/3 innings. The right-hander, who suffered two defeats to the Angels in June, struck out four, did not walk a batter and benefited from two sparking defensive plays to win his sixth consecutive start.

“That was vintage Hudson right there,” said Angel leadoff batter David Eckstein, who was 0 for 3. “His sinker was on tonight. After that first at-bat, I knew we were in for a dogfight.”

Athletic closer Billy Koch worked a perfect ninth inning for his 39th save in a game in which the only scoring came courtesy of three solo home runs.

Oakland, whose 20-game winning streak ended last Friday but has won 23 of its last 24, scored first with Jermaine Dye taking Appier over the center-field wall in the fourth inning for his 18th homer of the season.

Oakland went up 2-0 an inning later when Terrence Long’s shot landed almost halfway up the bleachers in right field for his 14th homer.

“Not horrible pitches by any means,” Appier said. “They were looking in the right spot. You have to give it to them because that’s something they do well, look for pitches in the right spot.”

Garret Anderson cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth.

Hudson seemed to fool Anderson with an 80-mph off-speed pitch. But with Anderson’s back leg kicking out, he was able to drive the 2-and-1 pitch into the old bullpen beyond the right-field wall for his team-leading 25th home run.

It was the first run Oakland had given up in 22 innings.

The Angels had a scare in the fifth when Troy Glaus jammed his left ring finger sliding head-first into second base. Glaus remained in the game.

The two potential Angel rallies were snuffed out in consecutive innings.

With two out in the sixth and Adam Kennedy at third, Oakland first baseman Scott Hatteberg made a diving play to his left to snare Scott Spiezio’s shot down the line and flipped to Hudson covering the bag to end the inning.

In the seventh, after Anderson led off with a single to right, Brad Fuller hit a hard grounder up the middle that rolled over the mound and past second base.

But Oakland shortstop Miguel Tejada rushed over and, with his momentum taking him toward center field, fielded the ball cleanly and back-flipped it to second baseman Marl Ellis, who completed the double play.

“That play Tejada made was ridiculous,” Appier said. “That was a big blow and a tribute to his talent.”

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Close Calls

The Angels play American League West leader Oakland in seven of their last 19 games. With Monday’s 2-1 loss, the Angels’ season record against the A’s is 5-8 with eight of those games decided by two runs or fewer. A look:

*--* Date Result Score April 12 Loss 5-1 April 13 Loss 7-2 April 14 Win 4-1 April 18 Loss 4-2 April 19 Win 9-7 April 20 Loss 8-7 April 21 Loss 6-5 July 17 Win 10-4 July 18 Loss 2-0 July 23 Loss 2-1 July 24 Win 5-1 July 25 Win 5-4 Sept. 9 Loss 2-1 REMAINING GAMES Tonight vs. Oakland 7 p.m R. Ortiz (12-9) vs. T. Lilly (4-6) Wednesday vs. Oakland 7 p.m J. Lackey (8-3) vs. C. Lidle (8-10) Thursday vs. Oakland 7 p.m Undecided vs. M. Mulder (17-7) Sept. 16 at Oakland 7 p.m Sept. 17 at Oakland 7 p.m Sept. 18 at Oakland 7 p.m Sept. 19 at Oakland 12:30 p.m

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