Sele Seals Angels’ Fate in Loss to Mets

Angst-ridden Angel fans deprived of the opportunity to jeer Mo Vaughn at Edison Field on Friday found an unexpected alternative outlet for their fury: Aaron Sele.

The starting pitcher failed to survive the fourth inning of the Angels’ 7-3 interleague loss to the New York Mets, leaving to a chorus of boos from a crowd of 38,294 that had expected better against what was largely a second-string lineup.

Far from amazing, these Mets are barely breathing.

Vaughn has probably played his last game because of knee problems. Catcher Mike Piazza is sidelined with a strained right groin that is expected to necessitate a move to first base. Shortstop Rey Sanchez is on the disabled list with a sprained left thumb.

And still the Mets routed the Angels, one night after whipping the Texas Rangers by 11 runs mere hours after the ouster of general manager Steve Phillips.

Sele gave up eight hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings, and Scot Shields would have surrendered at least two more runs in the fifth if Darin Erstad had not robbed Timo Perez with a sprawling catch in left-center field.

“As long as you watch this game, you won’t see a better catch,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy take a better route and make an all-out catch like Ersty did tonight.”

The catch temporarily electrified the Angels, who scored two runs in the fifth on Bengie Molina’s solo homer and Eric Owens’ RBI double down the left-field line.

But Jeromy Burnitz settled the matter in the sixth when he ripped a two-run homer to right off Shields, and the Angels (33-31) fell back to 10 1/2 games behind Seattle in the American League West.

The Mets had little need for Vaughn on a night when they amassed 13 hits, including five during a four-run fourth. And the absence of the slugging first baseman who once ripped his former team, saying, “They ain’t got no flags hanging at Edison Field,” probably spared them some uneasy moments.

The Angels’ World Series flag beyond the wall in left-center hung limp in the still air Friday, perhaps appropriate given the way the Angels played.

Owens, given another opportunity to show that he still belongs in the major leagues, misplayed two balls in right field. Third baseman Troy Glaus committed his team-high 11th error after bobbling a routine grounder. Even the stadium music operator goofed, starting a tune during the middle of Garret Anderson’s seventh-inning at-bat.

The Angels managed only two runs off Mike Bacsik, one of the best starters triple-A Norfolk has to offer. Recalled less than two weeks ago, Bacsik had been hammered for 11 hits and five runs in his last start, against Seattle. He held the Angels to six hits over five innings Friday, benefiting from a spectacular diving catch by shortstop Jose Reyes in the fourth that saved a run.

“We’re not going to hang our hat on one game and say our offense is back or it’s struggling,” Scioscia said. “Tonight we didn’t attack [Bacsik] like we could, but give him some credit. He certainly made some pitches in some key situations.”

Erstad got two hits off Bacsik, including a single in the first that snapped an 0-for-12 slide, but was picked off first in the third. David Eckstein returned to the starting lineup for the first time since June 5 but was hitless in four at-bats, though he was hit by a pitch in the seventh.

Sele (3-4) struggled with his command, walking three to take a step backward after recording victories in his last two starts.

“There’s been a little bit of a yo-yo here,” Sele said of his seven starts since coming off the disabled list following off-season shoulder surgery. “Good, bad, good, bad. But when you get back to throwing quality pitches, you’ll be all right.”