Weaver slams back after Ortiz’s slam

BOSTON -- David Ortiz is one of the most popular, respected and accomplished players in baseball.

Jered Weaver, in his first full season in the major leagues, called him out anyway. Not for the grand slam Ortiz hit -- the one that capped a six-run fifth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 10-5 victory over the Angels on Saturday -- but for his commemorative celebration.

Ortiz crushed a fastball, then flipped his bat, watched the ball, and waited to take a few short steps before ever starting his trot. Weaver didn’t say a word to Ortiz, but he did glare at him, then unleashed his venom when he spoke with reporters after the game.

“Just round the bases,” Weaver said. “I’ll remember it the next time we play them, that’s for sure. I’m not saying anything is going to happen, but it’s definitely in the back of your mind.”

The Angels and Red Sox conclude their regular-season series today, but they could meet again in October. The Weaver vs. Ortiz battle could be a sideshow to the main event, and the Angels would do well to hold the main event on their home turf.

They’re three games under .500 on the road, and they have not won consecutive road games since June 16-17. They have lost five of six games at Fenway Park this season, 17 of their past 23 in all. In order to secure home-field advantage, the Angels need to hold off the hard-charging Seattle Mariners in the American League West, then make up 2 1/2 games on the Red Sox.

“It would be nice,” Weaver said. “That’s what home-field advantage is all about. No five-run lead is safe with those guys, especially playing at their home park.”

That was not a rhetorical comment. Weaver lost a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning, without getting an out. In 26 previous games in which the Angels had scored at least three runs while Weaver was in the game, he never had lost. Home runs from Vladimir Guerrero and Chone Figgins contributed to that 5-0 lead, and Weaver took a two-hit shutout into the fifth. After Eric Hinske started the inning with a broken-bat infield single, Coco Crisp doubled and Alex Cora was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.

Julio Lugo singled home two runs, Kevin Youkilis singled to load the bases again and Ortiz hit a first-pitch fastball -- the third consecutive at-bat Weaver started Ortiz with a first-pitch fastball -- for the game-winning grand slam. Weaver was so preoccupied with staring down Ortiz that he failed to notice plate umpire Mark Wegner trying to catch his attention and throw him a new ball.

If Weaver was unhappy with his reaction, Ortiz said, so be it.

“I don’t care about that,” Ortiz said. “I don’t pay any attention to those things.”

Neither does Gary Matthews Jr. If the Angels’ pitcher was offended, their center fielder was not.

“He’s a superstar,” Matthews said. “It’s his thing. It’s not like he hasn’t done it before. I wasn’t offended. . . If I hit a grand slam to put us ahead, I might be feeling it too. It’s part of the game. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing.

“It’s what fans want to see. Fans wanted to see Dennis Eckersley get the save and pump his fist and scream. They pay to see Vladdy hit a walkoff home run and point to the sky. They pay to see Ortiz walk off and flip his bat.”

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com