Angels Hit Bad Eighth Note

On this night, there would be no controversy over whether Francisco Rodriguez should pitch the ninth inning ahead of Troy Percival. On this night, Rodriguez pitched the eighth inning and blew the lead, and there would be no save for either man in the ninth.

In a rare brush with failure, the kid with the lightning arm suffered defeat Friday night. Rodriguez, asked to protect a two-run lead, gave up a three-run home run to Ronnie Belliard. Rodriguez had not given up a homer this season, and Belliard had not hit one, but the unlikely parlay helped give the Cleveland Indians a 9-6 victory over the Angels before a sellout crowd of 43,590 at Angel Stadium.

Chone Figgins finished a home run shy of the cycle, Jose Guillen hit a home run that nearly sparked a brawl, Jose Molina threw out three runners and the Angels stole six bases, all of which went for naught when Rodriguez faltered.

“I didn’t make pitches. It cost us the game,” Rodriguez said. “That’s all.”

In 89 major league games, Rodriguez has lost four times, and don’t bet on it happening again soon. He lost Friday for the first time in 31 games dating to last Sept. 16. He lost three games in his rookie season last year -- one in April, one in July, one in September.

The Angels led, 5-4, after six innings, and Guillen hit what appeared to be a helpful if inoffensive home run in the seventh. But he took two short steps before commencing his trot, nothing that would impress Barry Bonds but nonetheless enough to offend Cleveland pitcher David Riske, and the two stared each other down as Guillen rounded the bases.

“I just feel like I was shown up,” Riske said. “I didn’t really say anything. I just stared him down a little.”

Guillen said he stared back only after Riske stared at him. “It’s not like I hit the ball and stayed there at home plate.”

The staring contest continued after Guillen completed his trot and headed back toward the Angel dugout, to the point where benches and bullpens emptied, mostly for show. Umpires quickly moved to keep the teams apart, before any ritual shoving could ensue.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia called Riske’s behavior “out of line” and said Riske should have done nothing except “get on the mound and get another baseball.”

Said Guillen: “The problem right now is, people look at it like I’m the bad guy. They look on ESPN and see Jose Guillen staring at the pitcher. They don’t show him staring at me. I just didn’t like that.”

Rodriguez inherited a 6-4 lead, with the recently erratic Percival ready to work the ninth, one day after receiving a cortisone injection to combat inflammation in his right elbow. But Rodriguez was not invincible for once, giving up three earned runs in one inning after giving up two in his previous 29 innings this season.

Travis Hafner led off the eighth with a single. After Casey Blake struck out, Rodriguez hit Ben Broussard, his first hit batter this season. Belliard then hammered a hanging slider for a home run into the seats near the left-field foul pole, giving the Indians their first lead and tagging Rodriguez with the loss. The Indians added two insurance runs in the ninth, on a home run by Blake.

“If you don’t make your pitches, they’re going to beat you,” Rodriguez said. “My stuff is the same. I felt the same. My arm is good. I just didn’t make my pitches.”