Ernesto Frieri’s struggles haven’t cost the Angels ... yet

For six weeks, Ernesto Frieri was about the only Angels pitcher who was consistently performing up to expectations, the closer going 0-1 with a 1.93 earned run average and converting eight of nine save opportunities in 17 games through May 18.

But the right-hander is not immune to the struggles that so many of his fellow pitchers have endured. In his last four appearances, including Wednesday night’s white-knuckle, two-homer save against the Dodgers, Frieri has allowed five earned runs and six hits, walked five and struck out three in four innings.

The common thread in the four games is an abnormally high pitch count. Three walks against the Chicago White Sox on May 19 forced Frieri to throw 27 pitches in a 1 1/3-inning save.

Frieri needed 35 pitches to record two outs in the ninth inning at Kansas City on May 23, a game in which he allowed two runs and three hits. Manager Mike Scioscia pulled Frieri in favor of Roberto Coello with two on and two outs, and Coello got Alcides Escobar to fly to right, preserving a 5-4 victory.

On Sunday, the pesky Royals fouled off so many pitches that Frieri needed 28 pitches to complete the ninth, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one. Then Wednesday night, Frieri gave up solo homers to Adrian Gonzalez and Scott Van Slyke before closing out the Dodgers in a 26-pitch ninth.

The one saving grace of Frieri’s struggles is they have not cost the Angels a game. But Frieri knows he can’t continue to pitch like this.

“If you want to be a reliever, you can’t be throwing 30 pitches a day—that’s not going to work,” Frieri said, adding that his arm feels good despite the elevated pitch counts. “I need to go one-two-three and be ready for the next day.”

Scioscia said the key for Frieri is commanding counts and putting hitters away when he has the chance.

“He’s been a little erratic in his last couple outings, but before then, this guy was terrific,” Scioscia said. “He’s gotten four-out saves for us, he’s done whatever we’ve asked him to do, and he’ll be there for us.”

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