Percival Losses Control at Worst Possible Time

There are rare occurrences.

Example: The Angels’ Damon Mashore was picked off first base with a runner on third in the seventh inning Sunday, when Oakland reliever Mike Fetters faked to third and threw back to first.

Then there are truly once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Example: Troy Percival throwing an 89-mph fastball on an 0-2 pitch, as he did in the ninth inning. It was such a shocker that Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann went to the mound to see if anything was wrong.

Ryan Christenson doubled to left on the pitch and later scored when Percival walked Kevin Mitchell with the bases loaded for a 5-4 A’s victory. It was definitely not a standard performance by Percival, who has given up only two runs in his last 19 appearances.

“I have a problem with tie games,” Percival said. “I’ve been working on it.”

Generally, it doesn’t matter. Percival usually comes in with the Angels leading and closes out the victory. He is tied for the American League lead with Boston’s Tom Gordon with 25 saves and was selected to the all-star team.

“The team has had a good first half,” Percival said. “It’s doesn’t matter how many wins you get or who gets them. We win as a team.”

And lose as one.

Mashore was picked off with Craig Shipley on third and the Angels leading, 4-3, with one out.

Matt Walbeck failed to sacrifice Garret Anderson to third with no outs and the score tied in the eighth.

“It doesn’t matter if we have the lead or not in the ninth if I do my job,” Percival said.

He has most of the season, blowing only three save opportunities.

“His velocity has been very good, but he’s always had that,” Manager Terry Collins said. “But his location is so much better this season. Now you’re seeing a 95 mph fastball on the outside corner.”

Christenson saw neither velocity nor location in the ninth.

“It was bad selection on my part,” Percival said. “I left the ball over the plate on an 0-2 pitch.”

Everything Percival threw after that was in the 95 range, but his location was a little off. He walked Rickey Henderson. After a sacrifice bunt, Percival walked Ben Grieve intentionally, bringing Mitchell up.

“The first pitch, I didn’t even see it,” Mitchell said. “It’s like he hopped up a little.”

Mitchell, whose home run tied the score, 4-4, in the eighth, managed to foul off three two-strike pitches before taking a 3-2 pitch inside.

“I just tried to throw the ball as hard as I could so he couldn’t hit it and got under it a little bit,” Percival said.

The loss was the Angels’ fifth straight--their longest losing streak this season.

“There is no doubt that we hit a rut right now. It’s best that we get away for a few days,” Percival said.

Not that Percival didn’t already have it in perspective.

“If we lose the last 10 games of the season and win the division, doesn’t it mean we have more wins than everyone else?” Percival said.