Their Methods are Different, Results Same for Angels, A’s

The A’s and Angels presented a contrast in offensive styles Tuesday, but as different as their methods of scoring runs were, the results were the same.

Oakland relied on home runs and the Angels manufactured their runs slowly. But after nine innings at Anaheim Stadium, the score was tied, 5-5.

Dave Henderson’s three-run home run in the fifth against Angel starter Mark Langston capped a five-run Oakland rally and erased the 3-0 lead the Angels had taken on runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

The Angels made rookie Joe Slusarski’s second major league start forgettable. They produced their first run on an error by catcher Jamie Quirk, their second on a double play and finally put some hits together for their third run, in the fourth inning. That lead evaporated when Oakland batted around in the fifth and Henderson hit a two-and-one pitch from Langston into the left-field seats.

In front of 26,813, the Angels pulled even with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Again, they used more pluck than power, taking advantage of a wild pitch by reliever Reggie Harris, three singles and a double play to tie the score.

Jeff Robinson, who relieved Langston with one out in the fifth, did an impressive job to preserve the tie in the seventh. He walked leadoff hitter Blankenship and gave up a single to Dave Henderson, putting runners on first and third, but he struck out Jose Canseco, Terry Steinbach and Mark McGwire to end the inning.

In the early innings, Langston survived situations that might have rattled him last season. He also helped his cause by beginning a double play in the fourth inning on a sharp ground ball by Steinbach.

The Angels rewarded him with three runs through four innings, which doesn’t seem like much but was more than they usually gave him last season.

The Angels loaded the bases in the first on a single by Luis Sojo and walks by Wally Joyner and Lance Parrish. But Gary Gaetti, who entered the game with more career hits against Oakland (121) than against any other American League team, couldn’t increase that total. He struck out, ending the inning.

The Angels did score in the second. Junior Felix led off with a bunt-single up the third-base line and moved to second on Dick Schofield’s single to right-center field. The two then pulled off a double steal, and when catcher Quirk’s attempt to get Felix at third bounced past third baseman Vance Law, Felix scored easily. Schofield made it to third but was stranded there, as Polonia grounded out and Sojo popped to Law.

Gaetti again came up with the bases loaded in third. He hit into a double play, one run scoring.

Joyner led off with a walk and went to third on Dave Parker’s single to right. Slusarski hit Parrish with a pitch to load the bases and fell behind on Gaetti, who worked the count to three and one. Gaetti then hit a bouncer to shortstop Ernest Riles, who began the double play as Joyner scored from third.

Speed on the bases contributed to the Angels’ third run, in the fourth inning. Schofield led off with a single to left and stole second. He scored on Polonia’s line-single to right, which skidded off the glove of right fielder Jose Canseco’s glove for an error. Polonia went to second.

Slusarski walked Sojo and was replaced by another rookie, left-hander Dana Allison. Allison ended the inning as Joyner flied out to left and Parker flied out to right.

Langston held the A’s scoreless through four innings. But when he came undone, it happened quickly.

He had silenced the A’s stirrings in the first, when Henderson got to third on a double and a passed ball, and in the fourth, but was routed in the fifth.

Law led off the inning with a double, and after Riles fouled out, Quirk walked. Gallego singled to right-center, scoring Law with the A’s first run. Blankenship singled to center, scoring Quirk, and Gallego and Blankenship scored ahead of Henderson on the Oakland center fielder’s third home run of the season.

Langston remained in the game for one more batter. Canseco hit a sharp grounder to third that Gaetti did well to snare, but his throw to first bounced and pulled Joyner off the bag. Gaetti was charged with an error, his second of the season.

Robinson relieved Langston, and ended the inning by striking out Steinbach and getting Mark McGwire to ground to third.

Reggie Harris was brought in to pitch the fifth, and the Angels wasted little time in scoring twice to pull even at 5-5.

Parrish and Gaetti greeted Harris with back-to-back singles, and each moved up a base on Harris’ wild pitch. Max Venable, who replaced Dave Winfield (tight hamstring) in the lineup, grounded a single past first baseman McGwire and into right field to score Parrish and move Gaetti to third. Gaetti scored on Felix’s double-play grounder.