Molina Enjoys Nice Reunion

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Bengie Molina could barely sleep Monday night, burdened by the pressure of honoring his family and his homeland.

Dreams usually do not work out this well.

In his first major league game in Puerto Rico, in a stadium minutes away from where he grew up, Molina starred as the Angels routed the Montreal Expos, 15-4, on Tuesday before 10,034 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, scoring five runs before making an out and tying a club record with six home runs.

Molina drove in three runs and collected four hits, the latter tying a career high. As he circled the bases after his final hit, a home run in the eighth inning, he pointed to his family members in the crowd. His heart filled with love, not only for the more than 100 friends and relatives in attendance, but also for the grandfather who died last year, at 87, and the grandmother who died two years ago, at 85.

“I think my grandma and grandpa were watching,” Molina said. “They were taking care of us.”

Both brothers, that is. Jose Molina, Bengie’s younger brother and his backup as the Angel catcher, appeared as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning. He had four hits all season. Tuesday was his 28th birthday. He singled.

“Outside of the World Series, this is the most exciting moment of my life,” Jose said.

Jose Molina took home that ball. Garret Anderson took home the lineup card, a souvenir of the game in which he recorded his 1,500th hit. Anderson drove in four runs and he also had four hits, including a home run.

Jeff DaVanon and Tim Salmon hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and DaVanon hit another in the ninth inning, his second consecutive game with two home runs. He hit one from each side of the plate.

Troy Glaus also homered later in the first inning and nearly hit another one in the second.

“I’ll tell you what, it’s a great hitters park,” Salmon said.

No surprise, at 315 feet down the left-field line and 313 feet down the right-field line.

“Troy Glaus? Garret Anderson? Fly ball? Adios, pelota,” said Angel pitcher Ramon Ortiz, who earned the victory by giving up only one home run -- and four runs in all -- in six innings.

The Angels pounded 22 hits, a season high, in winning their third consecutive game and climbing above .500 for the first time since May 17.

They led, 3-0, six pitches into the game. David Eckstein, who responded to his first day off this season with three hits, singled on the second pitch of the game. DaVanon homered on the fourth pitch. Salmon homered on the sixth pitch. Anderson singled on the seventh pitch.

On a final pitch of a nine-pitch at-bat, Glaus homered. By the time the Expos rescued starter Tomo Ohka, with no one out in the third inning, he had faced 17 batters and retired six. Four of those outs were strikeouts, meaning that 11 of 13 batters who made contact got a hit.

Bengie Molina’s homecoming coincides with his resurgence as one of the premier catchers in the American League. He broke Ivan Rodriguez’s hold on the Gold Glove last season, and he’s batting .282 this season, with 31 runs batted in -- two more than Salmon.

“He’s really having an All-Star-caliber year,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

To Molina, such honors were secondary to the chance to honor his family, particularly his late grandparents, the ones who would have so treasured this game.

“They used to say, have faith, anything can happen,” Molina said. “They always wanted to see me play.”

In spirit, they did. Molina is sure of it. In person, so did his mother and father, trying to reconcile after a separation. The Angels are staying at a luxury beachside resort here, but Bengie chose to stay with his mother.

“You get to hit a home run in front of your dad and your mom? It’s unbelievable,” Jose said. “I want to be in his shoes right now.”