Witt Pitches 2-Hitter as Angels Win : DeCinces Gets Three Hits, Including a Homer; California’s Lead Is 3 1/2 Games

Every five days or so, the image fades another shade. Right now, Mike Witt is pitching to make people forget.

Forget about his long-standing reputation of having unharnessed potential.

Forget about the criticism that his mental processes can’t keep up with his fastball.

Forget about the talk that he is one word-- maturity --away from becoming the American League’s premier pitcher, Roger Clemens and all.

Witt put another page of that scouting report through the paper shredder Saturday night as he defeated the Oakland A’s on a two-hitter, 5-2, and increased the Angels’ lead in the American League West to 3 1/2 games over the Texas Rangers.

Before an Anaheim Stadium crowd of 43,796, Witt won his fifth straight game, improving his 1986 record to 14-7. He struck out six, moving him into third place behind Clemens and Jack Morris in American League strikeouts with 156. And he pitched his 11th complete game of the season, tying him for the league lead with Bert Blyleven.

“What Witt is doing now,” Doug DeCinces said, “is living up to everything everyone thought he’d be. His mental approach to the game has improved consistently. At his age (25), to be able to pitch like he does . . . he has a tremendous future.”

To other Angels, Witt’s future is now.

“That’s just about what we’ve come to expect from Mike Witt,” Manager Gene Mauch said. “He’s good and he knows he’s good and he just goes out and plays ball.”

Said Bobby Grich: “He’s very consistent and durable. That’s something we haven’t had here since Nolan Ryan left. I can’t recall having a steadier pitcher who’s gonna go out there and give you a solid nine innings.”

Witt went nine again, giving up just three balls that could be characterized as well-hit.

One was Dwayne Murphy’s first-inning home run. Another was Alfredo Griffin’s line drive to left-center in the sixth inning, which Gary Pettis’ diving effort turned into an out. The third was Mike Davis’ liner in the eighth inning, which just skittered away from the grasp of a sprawling Brian Downing for a double.

Between Murphy’s homer and Davis’ double, Witt retired 21 of 22 batters. Only Dick Schofield’s fourth-inning error on a ground ball by Jose Canseco interrupted the streak.

Witt went on to complete the Angels’ fifth two-hitter of 1986. The others were recorded by Kirk McCaskill (twice), Don Sutton and Ron Romanick.

It was an impressive performance, but one that Witt chose to downplay.

“I made a lot of mistakes tonight, and the guys behind me made a lot of nice plays,” he said. “They got me four runs in one inning and played good defense.”

That they did. DeCinces had three hits, including a home run (his 18th), to highlight a four-run third inning. He later had a single and an RBI double.

Grich hit his eighth home run, and Wally Joyner drove in his 82nd run of the season with a sacrifice fly.

But there was more to this victory than that.

Such as Witt.

Grich said: “Consistent control of his curveball has been the key to his success, but I’m starting to see him develop his changeup. With that third pitch, he’ll improve even more.”

Mauch credits Witt’s development to--yes, that word-- maturity.

“I don’t think it ever just happens,” Mauch said. “It’s just an osmosis-like thing. When you pitch like that, good things are going to happen.”

And as if they needed it, the Angels received ample assistance along the way from the Oakland defense. Two A’s errors paved the way for the Angels’ four runs in the third inning, which erased a temporary 1-0 Oakland lead.

Grich had tied the score with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third, his eighth of the season. One out later, Pettis reached first base when shortstop Alfredo Griffin couldn’t pick up his ground ball.

Pettis took third when Griffin couldn’t handle another grounder, this one by Rick Burleson. It was scored as a bad-hop single.

Pettis then scored on a sacrifice fly by Joyner.

But the A’s meandering afield didn’t end there. Right fielder Mike Davis’ throw to the plate was closer to third base, sailing far and wide for another error that enabled Burleson to take second.

From there, Burleson had a nice vantage point for DeCinces’ home run, coming on a 2-and-1 pitch by Oakland starter Curt Young (9-8) and giving the Angels a 4-1 advantage.

Then they turned it over to Witt and Witt turned it into a 3 1/2-game lead in the American League West.

Angel Notes Reggie Jackson had been as quiet as his bat since the All-Star break, but Friday night Jackson used the occasion of his second home run since July 11 to issue an announcement--that his days as an Angel are numbered. “I already know where I’ll be next year,” Jackson said. “It ain’t gonna be here.” Saturday evening, he elaborated. “There ain’t gonna be no next year,” Jackson said after pitching a round of batting practice. “Any time you have the year I had in ’85 (.252, 27 home runs, 85 RBIs) and don’t have a job in spring training, what are they telling you? It’s just taken me a long time to realize it.” Jackson met with General Manager Mike Port earlier this week, and among the items on the agenda was Jackson’s dissatisfaction with his role as a singles hitter. At the request of Manager Gene Mauch, Jackson had agreed to cut back on his swing and try the Little Ball approach. He didn’t like it. “No more of this spraying the ball around,” Jackson said. “I’ve got to drive the ball. All a groundball hit between third base and shortstop is going to get me is a sayonara .” For a while, Jackson toyed with .300, but his average has since leveled off to .259. His power statistics: 11 home runs, 39 RBIs. “Bleep .300,” Jackson said. “I’m not gonna embarrass myself. I tried to be a nice guy, but that was not working for me. From now on, I’m swinging like I should be swinging.” . . . Add Jackson: He wants to play a final season in 1987 and he has a certain destination in mind. A reunion with the Oakland A’s? “I hope so,” Jackson said.

John Candelaria described his removal from Friday night’s game after five innings as a precautionary move and expects to make his next start, as scheduled, in Detroit Wednesday. “The arm feels better than it did after my last start,” he said. “I assume it’ll be fine to pitch in Detroit. The stiffness is nothing I haven’t had before, and it’s not unusual when you consider how quickly I came back from surgery. I came back sooner than I should have because we’re trying to win a pennant.” And what is the normal recovery period for bone-chip surgery on an elbow? “I have no idea,” Candelaria said, “but mine was a lot worse than that kid on the Dodgers (Dennis Powell), and I came back before he did--and he’s 10 years younger than me. If we weren’t in contention, no doubt, I would’ve come back more slowly. I assume over the winter is when I’ll be able to rest it.” . . . Bob Boone snapped an 0-for-20 slump with a single off Curt Young in the fourth inning Saturday night. . . . Dick Schofield stole his 17th base on the front end of a double-steal attempt in the sixth inning. Bobby Grich tagged along for his first steal of 1986.