Kennedy Can’t Hit at Home

Adam Kennedy returns tonight to the site of his greatest hitting achievement, a three-homer, four-hit barrage in Game 5 of the 2002 American League championship series that secured his place in Angel Stadium lore.

Kennedy always seemed to relish hitting at Angel Stadium, where he compiled a .302 batting average in his first four seasons with the Angels.

But home has not been a haven for the second baseman in 2004; Kennedy is hitting only .179 at Angel Stadium, where he has hit two of his six home runs.

“The kid works hard, the kid wants to win; he’s just having an off season right now, and he’s not having fun doing it,” hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said.

Said Kennedy: “I don’t really have an explanation for it. It’s never been that way; it’s really been exaggerated the other way, if anything.”

Indeed, Kennedy was a .256 hitter on the road before 2004. This season he is hitting .328 away from home.

“There’s really nothing you can work on as far as your home and your away batting average,” said Kennedy, hitting .260 overall. You’d like to take advantage of playing at home and being familiar with everything there. It just hasn’t been that way this year.”

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Robb Quinlan has let his bat do the talking during the last three weeks, but there was a time this season when the rookie also impressed the Angels with bold statements.

“He goes, ‘I know I can play up here,’ ” Hatcher said, recalling what Quinlan told Angel coaches in mid-June upon being informed of a demotion to triple-A Salt Lake. “ ‘I can’t prove myself any more down there.’ ”

Quinlan has more than fulfilled his promise during his latest call-up. The utilityman extended his hitting streak to 20 games Monday with a seventh-inning single and is closing in on Nomar Garciaparra’s American League rookie record hitting streak of 30 games, set in 1997.

“He’s a guy that’s starting to acquire the patience you need to hit with guys in scoring position and understanding what pitchers are trying to do with him,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’s getting good pitches to hit and hitting them hard.”

The Angels are also pleased with Quinlan’s progress at third base.

“He’s not intimidated by any situation and he’s not scared of anything,” Scioscia said. “That’s why he’s been able to make the most of playing a position he hasn’t had a lot of experience at.”

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Baltimore Orioles, three games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- Fox Sports Net, all three games.

Radio -- KSPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records -- Angels 62-50, Orioles 53-57.

Record vs. Orioles -- 5-1.

Tonight, 7 -- Aaron Sele (7-0, 4.60) vs. Daniel Cabrera (8-5, 3.66).

Wednesday, 7 p.m. -- Kelvim Escobar (6-8, 4.15) vs. Erik Bedard (5-6, 4.47).

Thursday, 7 p.m. -- Bartolo Colon (11-8, 5.41) vs. Rodrigo Lopez (9-7, 3.92).