Everything Works for Angels in Easy Win Over Indians

Maybe the peculiar timing of Manager Terry Collins’ rehiring for the 1999 season had the desired effect. Or maybe it was the Angels’ pregame meeting.

Maybe it was the return of second baseman Randy Velarde. Or maybe it was Orlando Palmeiro’s presence in the starting lineup.

Or maybe the Angels were due to play a good game.

Whatever the reason, they will take Monday’s 11-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians. A crowd of 25,339 at Edison Field saw the Angels end a four-game losing streak in a big way.

“We got a lot today,” Collins said. “We got very good pitching. We got absolutely tremendous defense. We got big hits. We can play that way, every night.”

Still, it was a victory tempered with concerns over yet another injury.

First baseman Darin Erstad stepped on pitcher Steve Karsay’s foot while beating out an infield hit in the seventh inning and suffered a slightly strained hamstring. He is listed as day-to-day.

But there was enough good news, beyond his contract extension, to make Collins smile.

Hitting? Velarde had two singles and a double in his second return after an elbow injury. Tim Salmon drove in four runs, three with a second-inning home run. Rookie Troy Glaus drove in three runs, two with a seventh-inning double.

Fielding? Palmeiro made a diving catch in left field with two on in the third. Shortstop Gary DiSarcina extended himself to snag a line drive to start the inning. Right fielder Garret Anderson threw out Manny Ramirez, who was trying was trying to stretch a single into a double in the second.

Pitching? Knuckleballer Steve Sparks gave the Angels five solid innings. Pep Harris and Trevor Wilson, just recalled from triple-A Vancouver, gave up only one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

And the Angels sliced in half the Texas Rangers’ one-game lead in the American League West Division.

“I just celebrated my contract extension,” Collins said.

The Angels announced Monday afternoon that they had picked up the option on Collins’ contract. It wasn’t exactly a coincidence that the announcement came during the team’s 9-21 tailspin.

“What better time to do this?” General Manager Bill Bavasi said. “This might send a message to him that we do have faith in him. It might send a message to others as well.”

If it didn’t, then Collins’ pregame meeting--his second in three days--might have gotten the point across. As might sitting both Cecil Fielder and Dave Hollins. The Angels had 10 hits, seven for extra bases (six doubles, one home run), with Fielder and Hollins not in the starting lineup.

Velarde, who has been limited to three games in two seasons because of elbow surgery, had three hits in his first three at-bats in his second return this season. He had expected to be ready by spring training, but had a setback. He returned for two games in mid-May, hitting two home runs, but the pain in his elbow forced him out again.

“It’s opening day again,” Velarde said. “I don’t know how many opening days you can have in a year. I hope this is my last.

“It’s different this time. I don’t have any pain. I’m just going to play and, if it falls off, then it wasn’t meant to be.”

Velarde singled in a run in the second inning. He also scored two runs.

“‘We’ve just spent the last few days talking about all the guys we could have had in a trade,” Collins said. “Randy is a pretty addition in anyone’s lineup.”

So was Palmeiro, who started his ninth game since being recalled from Vancouver. The Angels are 8-1 in those games. Palmeiro has scored 10 runs and driven in six runs in those games.

“Right now, we needed a spark and he gave us one,” Collins said. “He got a walk in the first. Velarde gets a hit, Erstad gets a hit and we’re off.”

Palmeiro also drove in a run with a groundout, one of three runs the Angels drove in with outs.

Salmon ended an 0-for-14 slump with a three-run homer in the Angels’ five-run second.