Tough Night for Angels in Defeat

There was something malodorous about the Angels’ 7-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night, and it had nothing to do with the sump-pump tank overflow that cleared out a field-level section on the first-base side of Angel Stadium for much of the game.

It had something to do with the Angels’ turning Vladimir Guerrero’s double off the center-field wall with a runner on first into a bizarre double play to end the sixth inning, when David Eckstein was thrown out at the plate and Guerrero was caught wandering too far off second.

And with Chone Figgins’ continued struggles at third base, where he committed a fourth-inning throwing error and broke the wrong way on Eric Byrnes’ soft fifth-inning liner, which could have been caught but instead nicked off Figgins’ glove for a double during Oakland’s two-run rally.

And with the Angels’ continued lack of support for right-hander Kelvim Escobar (4-4), who gave up three runs and six hits in six innings but, as usual, had nothing to show for it. The Angels have scored 17 runs in Escobar’s last eight starts, an average of 2.1 a game.

And with the extension of reliever Kevin Gregg’s horrendous slump -- the right-hander was tagged for four runs -- three earned -- and five hits in 1 2/3 innings and has given up 14 earned runs and 17 hits in his last six innings.

And with designated hitter Tim Salmon’s baffling failure to hit left-handers. Salmon was hitless in three at-bats against Oakland starter Mark Redman and is 0 for 27 against left-handers this season, a disturbing trend considering the right-handed Salmon figures to get the bulk of the starts at DH against lefties.

And, worst of all, it had plenty to do with another injury to first baseman Darin Erstad, who left in the second inning when he dislocated the knuckle on the middle finger of his right hand on a check swing.

Erstad, who sat out five weeks from May 9 to June 13 because of a strained right hamstring, was taken to Anaheim Memorial Hospital for X-rays, which were normal, but utility player Shane Halter suffered a similar injury in early June and was put on the disabled list.

“We’re slightly encouraged that there’s no damage, but these things can be an issue, obviously,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “When something dislocates, I consider it major, significant.... I’m sure Darin will miss a little time. Whether he goes on the DL, I don’t know.”

Erstad, who will be reevaluated today, said he has had dislocated fingers before, “but I’ve never done it on a swing,” he said. “It popped out and popped back in. It didn’t feel very good. Hopefully I can bounce back quick.”

While the Angels dealt with another injury, the A’s weathered some turbulence of their own. Manager Ken Macha called a pregame meeting to ease clubhouse tensions sparked by Oakland’s bullpen, which has blown 14 saves.

After two recent late-inning losses, A’s starter Tim Hudson told reporters, “I know the guys are trying; sometimes trying is not enough,” and Mark Mulder said, “The bullpen’s struggling. Someone’s got to step up and make good pitches.”

Oakland reliever Arthur Rhodes, who has nine saves in 14 opportunities, took exception, telling a CBSSportsline.com columnist: “If we lose as a team, we all lose. If we win as a team, we all win. You can’t have two starters saying that.

“If you’re not man enough to come to somebody on the field and tell them to do a better job, don’t say in the paper that we’re doing a bad job.... It [ticks] you off, players talking behind your back.”

Macha spoke with Hudson privately before Wednesday’s game and said he planned to speak with Rhodes.

“Each side has valid points,” Macha said. “Everybody is frustrated

They did Wednesday night, riding Redman’s strong 7 1/3-inning, one-run, seven-hit performance to a victory that ended the Angels’ two-game winning streak, though Redman’s outing included one odd moment.

Trailing, 7-1, in the eighth, Adam Kennedy tried to bunt for a single, and Redman, apparently taking exception, barked something at Kennedy.

“It was really nothing,” Redman said. “Honestly.”

Said Kennedy: “I wasn’t really paying attention to what he was saying.... He was probably feeling pretty good about himself at the time.”

Scioscia said Kennedy was just trying to spark a rally. “It was a legitimate play,” he said. “I don’t know what the issue was.”

Angel reliever Derrick Turnbow’s brushback pitch to Marco Scutaro in the ninth probably didn’t sit well with the A’s on another tense night between division rivals that, as far as the Angels were concerned, was best summed up by their manager.

“This,” Scioscia said, “was a bit of a lemon.”