Percival Is a 300 Hitter

The first save came in a grand old stadium no longer used for baseball, two logos ago, two owners ago.

The 300th save came Wednesday, a milestone for a kid drafted as a catcher, for the man who stood atop the mound for the Angels’ lone World Series championship. Troy Percival, who has worn no other uniform in his distinguished career, earned the save by getting the final two outs of the Angels’ 2-0 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Upon the final out, Percival clapped his hand into his glove, twice, then disappeared amid a mob of teammates. He emerged to a standing ovation, as the Angel Stadium video boards flashed “300” and displayed a montage of his career. Inside the clubhouse, he posed for pictures with his fellow pitchers, holding the game ball marked “300.”

“I was out there when the team needed me 300 times,” Percival said. “I’m real proud of it.”

With John Lackey getting the first 25 outs, the Angels posted consecutive shutouts for the first time in two years, a three-hitter Wednesday after the one-hitter Tuesday.

With two days before the trading deadline, owner Arte Moreno spent much of the game in the suite of General Manager Bill Stoneman.

The Angels hope the events of the last few days could help persuade Randy Johnson to approve a trade to Anaheim.

In a week, the Angels have cut their deficit in half in the American League West. By winning five of seven games, including three of four from Texas, the Angels have jumped from six games behind the Rangers to three. In the wild-card race, the Angels trail by 2 1/2 games.

Lackey had retired 13 consecutive batters when Hank Blalock walked with one out in the ninth. After 105 pitches, and with the tying run on base, Lackey yielded to Percival.

In Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, Lackey got the victory, Percival the save and Darin Erstad the final out. That history repeated itself Wednesday, to Lackey’s delight.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” Lackey said. “It’s unbelievable to play with a guy like that. He’s such a professional, such a class act and a leader of our team. It’s an honor to be involved with the game when he reaches that milestone.”

Percival became the 18th major leaguer with 300 saves. He and Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees started this season with 283.

While Rivera has long been considered one of the best closers of all time because of the Yankees’ October successes and his key role in them, Percival has pitched in relative obscurity.

The 300-save milestone should nudge Percival into the spotlight, Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“I think he’ll start to get the due that’s deserved,” Scioscia said, “as one of the great closers in the game.”

After the game, Percival lent heir apparent Francisco Rodriguez the ball marked 300 and told him to take a picture holding it. Rodriguez broke into the majors setting up for Percival, just as Percival broke in setting up for Lee Smith, the all-time leader with 478 saves.

“I remember telling myself, if I could just get 300, it would be a great career,” Percival said. “I played with the best closer of all time, in my mind. Just to get close to where he’s at, I’ve got 100 or 120 more to go.”

Whether he gets that chance -- in Anaheim or elsewhere -- is a question for another day. This day was for celebrating a proud and rare achievement, nine years and 14 days after the first save, in Detroit’s old Tiger Stadium, for Gene Autry’s California Angels.

“I bleed Angel red,” Percival said. “We used to say Angel blue. Now it’s Angel red.”

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Saving Grace

Players with at least 200 saves on one team:

*--* Player Team Saves Trevor Hoffman San Diego 377 Dennis Eckersley Oakland 320 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 318 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City 304 Troy Percival Angels 300 John Franco New York Mets 276 Rick Aguilera Minnesota 254 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City 238 Billy Wagner Houston 225 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 224 Tom Henke Toronto 217 Robb Nen San Francisco 206 Bobby Thigpen Chicago White Sox 201

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