Rodriguez Loses Cool, but Not His Command

Angel reliever Francisco Rodriguez is known for his demonstrative displays of emotion, but this was over-the-top even by his standards.

When the 22-year-old right-hander struck out Bobby Crosby on a full-count slider to end the eighth inning Saturday, preserving the Angels’ 5-4 lead over the A’s, he pounded both fists into his chest, pointed to the sky, pumped his fist and screamed as he hopped off the mound and headed to the Angel dugout.

“What can I say?” Rodriguez beamed after the Angels’ division-clinching victory, knowing it’s virtually impossible for him to control his emotions. “I know I scared a lot of people when I walked the first guy, but in my mind, I was under control.”

After walking Jermaine Dye, Rodriguez struck out Scott Hatteberg swinging at a slider, pinch-hitter Billy McMillon looking at a slider and then Crosby. He is now 4-1 with a 1.82 earned-run average and 123 strikeouts in 84 innings.

“My adrenaline got going, and my blood got pumping,” Rodriguez said. “When I struck out Crosby, I basically exploded.”

Afterward, Rodriguez, the 20-year-old pitching prodigy during the Angels’ 2002 World Series run, danced with his teammates and doused them with beer and champagne.

“I wasn’t old enough to drink in 2002,” Rodriguez said. “Now I am.”

*

Oakland starter Barry Zito pulled himself out of Saturday’s game after seven innings and 114 pitches because his legs were tired, but they weren’t too tired to kick himself afterward.

The left-hander left with a 4-2 lead, but an Oakland bullpen that has blown 28 of 64 save opportunities this season could not hold it, Jim Mecir getting tagged for two runs and Ricardo Rincon one.

“Nine times out of 10, the bullpen goes out and gets it done, and we don’t have this discussion,” Zito said.

*

Angel owner Arte Moreno, after several players and coaches doused him with beer and champagne in the clubhouse Saturday: “It’s a good bath.”

*

Playoff Possibilities

The Angels will play either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox in the American League division series starting Tuesday, pending the results of today’s games:

* If the Angels finish with the same or a better record than Central Division champion Minnesota, they will play Boston, the wild-card team, with the first two games of the best-of-five series in Anaheim. The Angels hold the tiebreaker over Minnesota, having won the season series against the Twins.

* If the Angels finish with a worse record than Minnesota, they will meet Eastern Division champion New York, with the Yankees playing host to the first two games.

* Dates and times of games are to be determined.