Colon Comes Back, but Angels Are Beaten, 7-3

Not all the news was bad for the Angels on Sunday.

Yes, they lost to the San Diego Padres, 7-3, at Angel Stadium, wrapping up a disappointing 4-6 homestand that kept them grounded in last place in the American League West, a season-high seven games off the division lead.

Their defense faltered.

Again.

Their offense stalled.

Again.

And center fielder Darin Erstad again was out of the lineup.

On a brighter note, Bartolo Colon was back after an extended stay on the disabled list, last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner pitching seven solid if unspectacular innings in his first start in more than two months.

Colon, who because of a strained right shoulder had not made a major league start since April 15, made 102 pitches and gave up nine hits, among them solo home runs by Mike Cameron in the first inning and Adrian Gonzalez in the fourth.

Rocked by the New York Yankees in his only other Angel Stadium start this season, Colon gave up four runs, two earned, struck out five and walked one.

“I thought Bartolo looked sharp,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of his ace, whose much-discussed velocity topped out at 94 mph. “His stuff was good, he was in and out of the zone, good velocity. I think a little later in the outing his pitches were up a little bit, but he still ... gave us a chance to win.”

But the Angels, sputtering again, couldn’t take advantage.

They managed only three more hits after scoring two runs on three hits in the first inning and have not scored more than four runs in any of their last eight games. To make matters worse, they have given up unearned runs in their last six.

“It’s not one thing that you can point to and say, ‘This is why we’re not able to play the type of baseball we need to play day in and day out,’ ” Scioscia said. “There are a variety of things that we need to clean up, that we need to get better at.”

Erstad, their spiritual leader, was sidelined again after leaving Saturday’s game, his fifth after returning from the disabled list, because of an ankle injury. But Scioscia said, “There’s still a sense of urgency in that clubhouse.”

The score Sunday was tied at 2-2 when Maicer Izturis, filling in at shortstop while Orlando Cabrera took the day off, booted Khalil Greene’s sharp grounder into the hole with two out and a runner on second base in the fourth inning. Vinny Castilla and Josh Barfield followed with run-scoring singles for the Padres.

“It wasn’t an easy play for Izzy,” Scioscia said of Izturis’ game-changing error, “but if we could make that play, it’s a little different story.”

Colon left after the seventh inning, the Angels trailing, 4-3.

“I feel pretty good about how things went,” he said later, speaking through an interpreter. “It was almost like a sense of relief to be able to cut loose and feel no discomfort whatsoever today. Mechanically, I felt pretty good.”

Asked what needed improving, he said, “Definitely location.”

He said he felt no pain or stiffness in his shoulder, which was injured in a playoff game against the Yankees in October, but said it’s not as strong as he’d like.

But his sense of relief, he added, would be short-lived.

“I feel good about what happened,” he said, “but I know that we lost the ballgame. I think that’s a more important story than just me coming back.”

Maybe so, but Colon’s return might bring the Angels hope.

“We have too much talent to be held down,” Colon said. “Even though we haven’t had the first 2 1/2 months the way we want them, we know we’re going to be a good second-half team.”