Angels, A’s Stumble to Showdown

The Angels and Oakland Athletics, American League juggernauts for much of the season, are suddenly staggering toward the finish line like runners with scraped knees and untied shoelaces.

Is this any way for the AL West to be won?

It might not be if the Texas Rangers continue their surprising late-season push. The Rangers surged into a second-place tie in the division alongside the Angels on Thursday after completing a three-game sweep of the A’s.

But the Angels and A’s contend that the division race will hinge on the six games they play against each other over the final 10 days of the season, starting tonight with the opener of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

“I like that because to be the best, you have to beat the best,� said Angel pitcher Kelvim Escobar, who tonight will try to help his teammates halve their two-game deficit. “It’s a great chance for us -- they’re in first place and we’re chasing them. If we beat those guys, there’s a pretty good chance we’ll be in the playoffs.�

A sweep would lift the Angels (85-67) past the A’s (87-65) and probably the Rangers (85-67), who play host this weekend to the last-place Seattle Mariners.

But a sweep by either team seems unlikely, given the kind of baseball the Angels and A’s have played over the last week and a half. Each has lost six of nine games when simply alternating wins and losses would have allowed either to make a significant change at the top of the standings.

“It’s one of those things you really can’t explain,� Angel shortstop David Eckstein said. “You just go out there and keep playing and hope you’ll put on a little run.�

Oakland suffered its third consecutive defeat Thursday when closer Octavio Dotel gave up three runs in the ninth inning of a 5-4 loss to the Rangers, but the A’s said that they’re still the team to beat.

“We know we’ve got to start winning some games and winning some close games,� said Oakland pitcher Tim Hudson, who allowed only two runs in seven innings and left with a 3-2 lead. “But I don’t think any of us are worried.�

The Angels have picked the wrong time to go into one of their worst offensive funks of the season, averaging 3.4 runs over their last nine games and being shut out three times. The team has a .257 batting average this month and had only three extra-base hits during one four-game stretch.

Manager Mike Scioscia has tried to jolt his hitters back into a groove -- reducing batting practice, juggling the lineup and giving players days off -- but nothing has worked.

In 21 September games, Darin Erstad is batting .197, Troy Glaus is batting .213 and Jose Guillen has driven in only three of his career-high 104 runs. Adam Kennedy, one of the few Angels who was making an impact at the plate, hitting .407 over his last 25 games, was lost for the season Monday night after suffering torn knee ligaments.

Often, it seems, Angel sluggers such as Vladimir Guerrero and Guillen are trying to launch three-run homers when what their team needs is for them to work the count and find a way to get on base.

“Overall, you’d like to see our offense get more base hits and not trying to fire for home runs,� batting coach Mickey Hatcher said. “Those are the things we’re talking to the guys about. That’s how you win games, getting base hits.�

The Angels might have caught a break because they will face only one of Oakland’s three vaunted starting pitchers this weekend, when 17-game winner Mark Mulder takes the mound Sunday.

But considering the pitchers who have toppled the Angels recently -- two rookies, a 15-game loser and an emergency starter outclassed them during one six-game stretch last week -- it may not make a difference.

Still, the Angels’ prolonged offensive drought has at least one of the A’s concerned.

“Lately, they haven’t scored a whole lot of runs, so that part scares you, as far as them starting to swing the bats and get hot again,� catcher Damian Miller said.

The Angels are still a factor in the playoff race because of their pitching, especially among the starters, who have posted a 3.13 earned-run average this month. Angel starters have delivered 14 quality starts of six innings or more and three earned runs or fewer in their last 18 outings, but the team is only 9-9 over that span.

“We haven’t been playing very well, but we played really well early in the year and it’s helping us now,� reliever Scot Shields said. “In order for us to go where we need to go, we’re going to have to start playing better.�

Said Scioscia: “I’m going to be shocked if these guys melt. Their makeup is too strong for them not to at least get out there and bring our kind of game.�