Figgins Is in the Right Place Once Again

The official save Sunday went to Troy Percival, who escaped a two-on, one-out jam when he retired Omar Infante on a fly to right field and Carlos Guillen on a fly to the warning track in center to preserve the Angels’ 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in front of 42,850 in Angel Stadium.

The win went to reliever Scot Shields, who gave up an unearned run in two innings; the game-winning hit was provided by Darin Erstad, whose two-out, run-scoring double broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth; and starter Aaron Sele contributed six strong innings, giving up one unearned run and six hits.

But the primary reasons the Angels pulled within a half-game of Oakland in the American League West and a virtual tie with Boston and Texas atop the wild-card standings cannot be found in a box score.

Chone Figgins, making his first start in right field -- that’s six positions the utility player has started at this season -- did his best Vladimir Guerrero impersonation, throwing out Craig Monroe at the plate to end the fourth inning and keep the Angels ahead, 2-1.

And second baseman Adam Kennedy, whose sluggish bat landed him on the bench in three of the four previous games, made a superb diving stop of Dmitri Young’s grounder to the hole to save a run in the fifth inning and a smooth play up the middle to retire Monroe to start the ninth, giving Percival a reprieve.

“You think it’s going to be a hit, a cheapie, then A.K. comes in to backhand the ball and makes the throw across his body,” Percival said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind he’s a Gold Glove second baseman.”

Erstad and Manager Mike Scioscia had a different award in mind when they spoke of the speedy Figgins, who is batting .298 with 60 runs, 16 doubles, 14 triples and 43 runs batted in, and has filled in at third base, shortstop, second, and all three outfield spots: team most valuable player.

“You have to give Figgins consideration as our MVP,” Scioscia said. “He’s played everywhere; he’s done everything asked of him. He’ll take a challenge, whether it’s playing shortstop one day, third base the next, outfield the next. He’s turned out to be a terrific player.”

You’ll get no argument from the Tigers, who saw Figgins air-mail a throw to the plate to nail Monroe, who was trying to score on Brandon Inge’s sharp single to right in the fourth. Figgins also singled and doubled Sunday and has a .356 career average against Detroit.

“I took out my list of Tiger killers, and I put Chone Figgins on it,” Detroit Manager Alan Trammell said. “This year and last year, he’s been huge everywhere they put him. He made a big play in right field today. He brings a lot of energy, not only defensively. He’s killed us offensively too.”

Figgins also leads the team with 24 stolen bases and has shown some power -- his two-run homer in the sixth inning Saturday night broke a 6-6 tie and catapulted the Angels toward an 11-8 victory.

“That guy has every tool,” Percival said.

“Put him anywhere, and he’ll stand out.”

On balance, it wasn’t a sparkling defensive day for the Angels. Errors by Eckstein in the second and Garret Anderson in the seventh led to unearned runs, though Eckstein atoned for his mistake by scoring twice after drawing leadoff walks, in the first and eighth innings, and Anderson hit a run-scoring single in the first.

But Figgins came up with a huge throw in the fourth, and Kennedy, mired in an 11-for-54 slump, added web gems in the fifth and ninth.

“It makes you feel like you got a big hit or something,” Kennedy said. “When things are not going well offensively, you take a lot of pride in realizing the pitchers need you on defense, and you have to make plays for them.”