Angel Ride Is E-Ticket

Charity did not begin at home for the Angels. It began in Kansas City, where the Royals committed seven errors that helped the Angels to three comeback victories, including two in their final at-bat, during a four-game sweep last weekend.

Charity did make its way to Anaheim though. The Baltimore Orioles came bearing gifts Wednesday night, and the Angels reaped the bounty, taking advantage of a fluke error to score three unearned runs in the seventh inning en route to a 4-2 victory in front of 41,446 in Angel Stadium.

Right-hander Kelvim Escobar (7-8) gave up one run and six hits in seven innings, Francisco Rodriguez wiggled out of a first-and-third jam in the eighth with a strikeout of Javy Lopez, and Troy Percival, after giving up a leadoff home run to B.J. Surhoff, got three outs in the ninth for his 22nd save.

Robb Quinlan’s 21-game hit streak ended, but Vladimir Guerrero broke out of a slump with a solo home run in the sixth, and Garret Anderson hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh, as the Angels ended the Orioles’ eight-game winning streak and moved within 1 1/2 games of Oakland in the American League West.

But it was an errant toss to first base on one of the most routine plays in baseball -- a grounder to the mound -- that keyed the Angel victory.

With the score tied, 1-1, and one out in the seventh, Jose Molina doubled to right-center, and leadoff batter David Eckstein followed with a one-hopper to the mound.

Grimsley fielded the ball cleanly, checked the runner at second and made his throw. But the ball sailed well over the head of first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who had to come off the bag to make the catch and was unable to beat Eckstein to the bag.

“That play is going to be made 99% of the time,” Manager Mike Scioscia said, “But I tell you what, if there was a guy who was going to take advantage of a throw like that, it’s Eckstein, because he busted it down the line.

“If he’s off his stride, Palmeiro has enough time to get to the bag. It was a break, and we took advantage of it. For all those Little Leaguers out there, when they say run it out hard, that’s why.”

Chone Figgins grounded to second for what should have been the third out, with the runners advancing. Baltimore Manager Lee Mazzilli summoned left-hander B.J. Ryan, who walked Guerrero intentionally to load the bases and pitch to the left-handed Anderson.

But Anderson, a career .291 hitter against left-handers, stroked a 2-and-1 pitch through the shortstop hole for his third hit of the game, scoring two runs for a 3-1 lead. Jose Guillen lined a run-scoring double to the right-center field gap to make it 4-1.

“You take advantage of situations like that,” Anderson said, referring to Grimsley’s error, “you’re going to win some games at this level.”

Quinlan, who struck out and grounded out twice in his first three at-bats, was replaced by Alfredo Amezaga at third base to start the eighth.

“It makes you sick that here’s a guy with a chance to keep a personal streak going, but you have to keep in mind what’s best for the team,” Scioscia said. “Bringing Alfredo in was the right move.”