Angel Losses Multiply on Final Play at Plate

Bengie Molina stood at his locker, trying to pull his shirt on. He could not, wincing in pain as he tried to lift his left wrist. Jose Molina walked over and gingerly lifted the shirt over his brother’s head.

After Jose Molina finished helping him dress, Bengie Molina walked slowly out of the clubhouse, alone with his thoughts. The wrist is broken. He will not play again this season.

The Angels lost their catcher -- and the game -- on the final play Wednesday. In a collision at home plate, Minnesota’s Dustan Mohr jarred the ball loose from Molina and scored the tying run. As Molina writhed on the ground in pain, and as the ball trickled away from the plate, Shannon Stewart followed Mohr home and scored the run that gave the Twins a 6-5 victory.

The Twins, in a pennant race, scampered onto the field and erupted in celebration. For the first time in Troy Percival’s nine-year career, the Twins had beaten the Angel closer. And then, as the Twins realized they were dancing around a fallen catcher, they stood still and grew quiet, surrounding Molina as trainers treated him. Mohr watched, and so did catcher A.J. Pierzynski, and so did teammates Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones and Denny Hocking.

The Angels were shaken up too, but rather fatalistic as well. They’re playing out the string, with whatever injury-free bodies can be rounded up each day.

Of the players in the varsity lineup, more than half are gone. Third baseman Troy Glaus and designated hitter Brad Fullmer are out for the season. Shortstop David Eckstein and center fielder Darin Erstad could be too. Molina is the latest to fall.

“If we were in the middle of a playoff hunt, it would mean a ton,” Percival said. “With where we’re at right now, we’re more concerned about getting him healthy and back for next year.

“It would have been much more devastating this time last year.”

General Manager Bill Stoneman said it was “not likely” the Angels would promote prize catching prospect Jeff Mathis from double-A to replace Molina. The team could promote one of its triple-A catchers, Tom Gregorio or Wil Nieves, to join Jose Molina, Shawn Wooten and Trent Durrington as available catchers.

The Angels didn’t trail until the end Wednesday. They led, 5-4, when they summoned Percival for the ninth inning. In 37 2/3 career innings against the Twins, he hadn’t given up an earned run. He still hasn’t, as Molina was charged with an error on the play that ended his season.

Percival retired the first two batters, then walked pinch-hitter Justin Morneau. Mohr ran for him, and Stewart laced a double inside the third base line. Al Newman, the Twins’ third base coach, waved Mohr home, but strong relays from left fielder Garret Anderson and shortstop Wilson Delgado allowed Molina to catch the ball well ahead of Mohr’s arrival.

Mohr lowered his left shoulder into Molina, who had extended his glove hand to apply the tag. The Angels had no quarrel with Mohr.

“He was out by a mile,” infielder Scott Spiezio said. “He’s got to try to do something. He didn’t spike him or anything.”

The Angels were stunned not by the collision but by the injury. In July, Molina endured collisions with Oakland’s Jermaine Dye and Kansas City’s Ken Harvey. Molina was not hurt in either incident, but Dye suffered a separated shoulder that sidelined him for two months.

Now it is Molina who will be lost, at the end of a banner season in which his teammates campaigned for him to make the All-Star team. He followed his Gold Glove season last year by throwing out a league-leading 41% of opposing runners this year. He set a career high with 14 home runs and tied career highs by batting .281 and driving in 71 runs.