Ervin Has Some Magic for Angels

Mix a lethal fastball and sharp slider with the inexperience and excitability of a 22-year-old six weeks removed from double A, and the results can be like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates -- you never know what you’re going to get.

But the Angels will gladly weather Ervin Santana’s unpredictability if his lapses are offset by the brilliance he showed Saturday night, when the rail-thin right-hander gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 3-1 interleague victory over the Dodgers before a sellout of 44,107 in Angel Stadium.

The Angels bunched all four of their hits during a three-run second inning, and Santana, in his fifth big league start, struck out seven and walked one to outduel Dodger ace Brad Penny, who went seven innings and retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced

The Angels extended their win streak to five and maintained their 5 1/2 -game lead over Texas in the American League West, while the Dodgers, nearing the end of a four-city, 13-game trip, lost for the 10th time in 12 games and fell 5 1/2 games behind San Diego in the National League West.

Angel setup man Scot Shields escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth by getting Jayson Werth to ground into a 1-6-3 double play after a 10-pitch at-bat in which Werth fouled off six two-strike pitches, and Francisco Rodriguez struck out two in the ninth for his 13th save.

But it was the full-count, 96-mph fastball that Santana blew by Werth with the bases loaded and one out in the third that left the most indelible mark on the Dodgers, who saw the third-inning rally end with Hee-Seop Choi’s popup to the catcher.

“There were three or four at-bats that were huge in that game, and every time, Ervin made a pitch,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Early on he was overthrowing a bit, and his fastball was elevated. We’ve seen that before, but he did a good job adjusting. Once he found it, he pitched strong all the way through.”

Santana’s big league performances have leaned toward the extreme.

In losses to Cleveland and Florida, he was rocked for 13 earned runs and 16 hits in 6 2/3 innings for a 17.56 ERA. In wins over the Dodgers and White Sox and a no-decision against Washington, Santana gave up two runs and 16 hits in 22 innings for an 0.82 ERA.

The Angels better get used to it. They announced in the first inning Saturday that Kelvim Escobar would undergo arthroscopic surgery to shave a bone spur in his elbow this week, sidelining the right-hander for at least two months and thrusting Santana into a full-time rotation role.

“If he’s going to pitch terrific baseball in three of five games and give us a chance to win those three, it will give us a big lift,” Scioscia said. “This is a lot to put on a kid. He’s not a finished product, but he’s ready for the challenge. There’s a learning curve, and he’s had some rough games, but in between, he’s pitched some terrific baseball.”

In his two losses, Santana crumbled early, but Saturday night, he withstood Werth’s second-inning homer, which ended the Angels’ string of 19 innings without giving up a run, and escaped that bases-loaded jam in the third.

“Tonight was the first time he got into trouble and was able to work his way out of it and pitch a great game, and that’s great to see,” Angel second baseman Adam Kennedy said. “With Escobar out, we’re going to need [Santana] big-time. It looks like he’ll be able to fill his shoes.”

The Angels countered Werth’s home run with three runs in the bottom of the second, a rally that featured one hard-hit ball, to take a 3-1 lead.

Penny, who walked nine in 75 1/3 innings of his first 12 starts, walked Dallas McPherson with one out, and Jeff DaVanon followed with a chopper off the plate that bounced high enough to enable the designated hitter to reach on an infield single.

Orlando Cabrera, who was four for 42 lifetime against Penny, ripped a double into the left-field corner, scoring McPherson and DaVanon. Kennedy, who knocked in two runs with bloop hits Friday night, served a soft single to left to score Cabrera.

Santana retired 11 in a row from the third through sixth innings, including a strikeout of Mike Rose with a 96-mph fastball to end the fourth and strikeout of Antonio Perez with a 95-mph inside fastball in the fifth. Jeff Kent was so tied up by a high-and-tight fastball that he fell down as he swung through strike three to end the fifth.

Mike Edwards opened the seventh with a single off Santana, but he was immediately rubbed out on Cody Ross’ double-play grounder to third baseman Maicer Izturis, who replaced McPherson (tight left groin) to start the inning.