Advertisement

Bittersweet Finish for Glaus, Percival

Share
Times Staff Writers

Closer Troy Percival and third baseman Troy Glaus may have played their last game for the Angels. Their contracts are up and reliever Francisco Rodriguez and third baseman Dallas McPherson are cheaper alternatives waiting to take over.

If so, Glaus went out with a bang, crushing a home run over the Green Monster in Fenway Park for the Angels’ first run Friday in the 8-6, 10-inning loss to Boston that ended their season. A two-run home run by Boston’s David Ortiz in the 10th negated Glaus’ homer and Vladimir Guerrero’s seventh-inning grand slam.

Asked if it had crossed his mind that this could be his last game, Glaus said: “Honestly, it didn’t. Once Vlady went deep and tied it up, I thought we were going to win.”

Advertisement

Percival, though, did think about it. If he does leave, his final days as an Angel were spent watching from the bullpen, as he was never in a position to save a game in the series.

“It’s not something I have been thinking about, but with the season over it is on my mind,” Percival said. “All I can do is go back home and get ready for next season.”

*

Guerrero’s first playoff series took a dramatic turn when his grand slam tied the score, 6-6. It was only his second hit of the series, but both gave the Angels a chance to win. He had a two-run single in Game 2 Wednesday for a 3-1 Angel lead. Boston ended up winning, 8-3.

“I was trying to do too much the first couple games,” Guerrero said. “Once I let others do things, I relaxed and started hitting the ball.

“It was a great feeling when I hit the home run. You could feel the momentum shift. We were down and they were up. Then it changed. I thought we were going to win.”

*

Kelvim Escobar’s playoff debut was not memorable. The Angel right-hander struggled through 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs -- three earned -- and five hits, walking five, one intentionally, and throwing 92 pitches. Boston right-hander Bronson Arroyo pitched far better in his first playoff start, yielding two runs and three hits in six innings and striking out seven.

Advertisement

*

Angel shortstop David Eckstein had a chance to spend time with his mentor before Friday’s game, even if it qualified as fraternizing with the enemy.

Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky stood with his arm around Eckstein during Boston’s batting practice, pointing to different spots in Fenway.

“He was just telling me old stories about this place,” Eckstein said.

The two have been close since Eckstein’s days in the Red Sox organization. Pesky was Boston’s roving minor league infield instructor during Eckstein’s first professional season at Lowell.

“He’s always been a great little guy,” said Pesky, a coach with the Red Sox. “The kid was an eye catcher. He was a little guy who worked hard and did it every day. He wasn’t like a lot of smaller guys, who try to hit the ball 500 feet, and he ran like a rabbit. It made me sick when [former general manager] Dan Duquette traded him.”

*

Errors by Angel second baseman Chone Figgins and Eckstein contributed to Boston’s three-run third inning. Eckstein had made only six errors all season, and his league-leading .988 fielding percentage was a franchise record for shortstops.... Angel cleanup batter Garret Anderson hit .154 (two for 13) in the series.

Advertisement