Angels Lose to Brewers in 17th, 1-0

These are uneasy times in Anaheim. The bats that carried the Angels into first place have gone silent, and soon there will be new math here -- too many outfielders, not enough at-bats.

With Tim Salmon activated from the disabled list and Garret Anderson expected to follow later this week, Manager Mike Scioscia said Salmon would not necessarily return as the everyday designated hitter and Anderson would not necessarily return as the everyday center fielder.

“The wild card is Raul Mondesi,” Scioscia said before Tuesday’s 1-0, 17-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. “If he’s playing the type of center field he can, and if it will give Vlad (Guerrero) or Jose Guillen a day off at DH, we have the option to have Garret in left and Mondesi in center. That’s a pretty good outfield.”

The Brewers won in the 17th, as Scott Podsednik doubled home Craig Counsell with two out. They set a National League record -- and tied a major league record -- by striking out 26 times.

The Angels have not scored in 32 innings. They lost their fourth consecutive game, falling out of sole possession of first place in the American League West for the first time since May 5 and into a tie with the Oakland Athletics.

The Brewers’ Ben Sheets pitched a one-hit shutout through nine innings, with Guerrero breaking up a perfect game with a two-out single in the seventh inning. The Angels’ Kelvim Escobar struck out 11 in eight innings, the most by an Angel since Chuck Finley struck out 12 five years ago.

When the Angels signed Mondesi 11 days ago, they had no inkling Anderson could return so soon from the arthritic condition that had sidelined him since April. Mondesi declined to discuss whether he might be content in a reserve role.

“Whatever happens is fine,” Mondesi said. “I don’t want to say anything.”

Anderson, the Angels’ most valuable player three years running, has played all three outfield positions in his decade in Anaheim. After moving from center field to left to accommodate Darin Erstad, he developed into a player Angel coaches regarded as the best defensive left fielder in the American League.

The Angels moved him back to center, his preferred position, in an outfield shift to accommodate Guerrero.

“We’re definitely looking for Garret to play center,” Scioscia said, “but it gives us a terrific foundation if there are times when we need him to play left. I’ve talked with Garret about that, and he’s fine with it.”

The Angels planned to activate Salmon after Tuesday’s game, optioning first baseman Robb Quinlan to triple-A Salt Lake. They opted against putting catcher Bengie Molina (strained left calf) or shortstop David Eckstein (strained right hamstring) on the disabled list, but each missed his third consecutive game.

Salmon, who sat out because of a sore left knee, was limited to DH in his minor league rehabilitation assignment. While he hopes to resume outfield workouts shortly, he faces six games of pinch-hitting next week, with no DH in National League ballparks.

“We’ve got a lot of bats right now,” he said. “You can only play so many guys. The team perspective is to be ready and play when they ask you to play.”

Salmon -- an everyday Angel since earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1993 -- might play irregularly. In addition to Guerrero, Guillen, Anderson, Salmon and Mondesi, the Angels have outfielder Jeff DaVanon, batting .330.

“We’ll have to use the DH to get all those bats in the lineup,” Scioscia said.