Angels Have a Flashback

Big block letters atop the Edison Field dugouts and on billboards throughout Southern California proclaim, “THE HALOS ARE BACK FOR MORE,” the implication being that the Angels will generate additional spine-tingling moments this season during a push for the first consecutive playoff appearances in franchise history.

At times during the uneven start to this season, the slogan could just as easily have been interpreted by cynics to mean the Angels are back to induce more of the same exasperation that had characterized their first 41 years of existence.

But Garret Anderson and Eric Owens are big believers in truth in advertising.

Anderson smashed a three-run home run and Owens delivered a pivotal two-run single, propelling the Angels to a 9-4 comeback victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday before 43,449, the fourth sellout in five home games this season.

Owens’ biggest hit as an Angel came in the sixth inning, after the Athletics had rallied from a three-run deficit to take a 4-3 lead. Pinch hitting for Jose Molina, Owens lined a fastball from Oakland reliever Ricardo Rincon into right field to score Anderson and Troy Glaus to give the Angels a 6-4 advantage.

“As the new guy coming in, you want to make an impression early in the season,” said Owens, acquired in the off-season as a free agent. “I try to thrive in situational hitting.”

The Angels (6-5) climbed above the .500 mark for the second time this season and extended their winning streak to four games, much to the delight of fans who created a swirling sea of white by waving giveaway T-shirts as if they were rally towels.

Angel starter Mickey Callaway, pitching on 11 days’ rest because of early-season off days, lost his effectiveness toward the end of a 5 1/3-inning outing in which he yielded six hits -- all singles -- and gave up his first three runs of the season. The performance was in sharp contrast to his first start of the season, when he shut down the Texas Rangers over six innings.

“I got a little tired,” Callaway said. “That’s the thing about the time off that probably affected me the most.”

Callaway did not allow an Athletic runner past second base until the sixth inning when Miguel Tejada reached on a one-out infield single, moved to second on Eric Chavez’s walk and scored on Jermaine Dye’s single up the middle.

Scott Schoeneweis relieved Callaway but fared no better, surrendering consecutive run-scoring singles to Erubiel Durazo and Terrence Long before intentionally walking Ramon Hernandez to load the bases. Angel Manager Mike Scioscia then brought in right-hander Ben Weber to face pinch-hitter Ron Gant, whose sacrifice fly to right scored Durazo to give the Athletics a 4-3 lead.

The Angels responded during their half of the inning. Tim Salmon singled, took third on Anderson’s single past first baseman Scott Hatteberg and scored on Glaus’ infield single to tie the score. After Scott Spiezio’s sacrifice bunt moved Anderson and Glaus to second and third, pinch-hitter Shawn Wooten drew an intentional walk to load the bases.

That’s when Owens came through with his clutch hit. Chone Figgins then drove in Wooten with a sacrifice fly to center and David Eckstein followed with a run-scoring single to right to make it 8-4.

The Angels scored an insurance run in the seventh on Glaus’ double to left, and Weber picked up the victory with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Brendan Donnelly walked two batters in the ninth but escaped without giving up a run.

Anderson’s blast was made possible by one of two Oakland errors. Oakland starter John Halama had appeared to retire the side in the third inning when Darin Erstad hit a grounder to first baseman Hatteberg with two outs.

But Halama, covering first, dropped Hatteberg’s underhand toss and Erstad was safe. After Salmon followed with a walk, Anderson deposited a 2-and-1 pitch from Halama into the right-field seats.

The Angels appeared to solve the mystery of the soft-tossing left-hander, who had limited them to one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings April 5.