Rangers Tee Off Against Santana

Ervin Santana’s evil twin returned Thursday, and that set the tone for a devil of an afternoon for the Angels, who were burned by a scorching Texas sun and a collection of smoking Ranger bats.

Texas tied a franchise record with eight home runs, including three by left fielder Kevin Mench in consecutive at-bats in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, during an 18-5 rout of the Angels in front of an announced 27,466 at Ameriquest Field.

First baseman Mark Teixeira added a pair of two-run home runs, and David Dellucci, Alfonso Soriano and Hank Blalock also went deep, as the Rangers tied a record they set with eight homers against the Houston Astros on May 21 and trimmed the Angels’ lead in the American League West to 6 1/2 games.

The Texas power surge also tied an Angel club record for homers by an opponent in a game, set by the Mark McGwire-led Oakland Athletics on June 27, 1996.

“It’s no secret they have a good team,” Angel left fielder Garret Anderson said of the Rangers, who salvaged a split of the four-game series and breathed some life into their sagging season with two wins in a row over the Angels. “We just can’t get too wrapped up in the day-to-day stuff. This game doesn’t mean anything. It’s one loss. It’s not like we lost 15 in a row.”

Santana, the 22-year-old rookie who has been equal parts brilliant and brutal this season, bore the brunt of the Ranger assault, giving up seven runs and seven hits, including three home runs, in four innings, wilting on a 97-degree day that, combined with the humidity, created a heat index of 105 degrees.

Relievers Joel Peralta, who gave up five runs and two hits, both homers, in one inning, and Jake Woods, who gave up six runs and six hits, including three homers, in two innings, didn’t fare any better. But it was Santana, who walked four and struck out four and continually fell behind hitters, who put the Angels in an early hole.

And so the mystery of Santana continues. In wins over the Dodgers and White Sox and a no-decision against Washington, Santana gave up two runs and 16 hits, including one home run, in 22 innings for an earned-run average of 0.82. In losses to Cleveland, Florida and Texas, Santana was rocked for 20 earned runs and 23 hits, including six home runs, in 10 2/3 innings for a 16.88 ERA. He is 2-3 with a 6.06 ERA.

“The walk [has been the difference] in games when he hasn’t pitched well, that and falling behind hitters,” pitching coach Bud Black said. “In the games he’s pitched well, his ball-strike ratio has been better, he’s pitched ahead in the count and put guys away. Today, he fell behind and had to come in with pitches.”

After Santana gave up consecutive hits to the bottom third of the order in the second inning, including a rocket of a double to No. 9 hitter Gary Matthews, Black went to the mound and had what was, for him, a very animated conversation with a pitcher.

“It was nothing particular, just coach-pitcher communication,” Black said. “I wanted to make sure I was speaking loud enough so he could hear me.”

Santana went on to give up a run-scoring single to Dellucci and Teixeira’s two-run homer, which capped the first of the Rangers’ two five-run innings.

“A lot of it is youth, realizing the consistency he needs in his delivery and knowing the hitters,” Black said of Santana. “He has a tendency to overthrow at times and to be too fine at times. The secret is knowing when to rear back and throw one and not worry about being too fine and, conversely, knowing which at-bats and counts you have to be more fine in and hit a corner. These things come with experience.”

Manager Mike Scioscia said Santana, who replaced the injured Kelvim Escobar in the rotation, is “grinding through a learning curve,” but the Angels, favorites in the AL West, can’t afford to be too patient with Santana.

“If he’s here, you have to forget about his youth and being a prospect,” catcher Jose Molina said. “It’s my personal opinion that if you’re in the big leagues, nobody is a prospect or a young kid. You have to do your job, no matter what. It just wasn’t his day today, but he’ll bounce back.”

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Royal mismatch?

After dropping the last two games of their series with the Texas Rangers, the Angels will face the Kansas City Royals, whose scheduled starters have had less-than-stellar success this season. Meanwhile, the Angels’ three scheduled starters are a combined 21-12. The Royals’ starters and their season statistics:

*--* Pitcher IP W-L ERA * Hernandez 97 5-8 4.64 * Lima 80 2/3 1-6 7.81 * Greinke 86 2/3 1-9 5.92 * Totals 264 1/3 7-23 6.03

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