Petry Gets Roughed Up by Orioles

Dan Petry, the unofficial record-holder for the world’s worst ankle sprain, finally started another game for the Angels, facing the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night on 70 days’ rest.

From June 20 to Aug. 30--that was the length of Petry’s absence after he twisted his right ankle while fielding a ground ball by Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett in the Metrodome. From June 20 to Aug. 30--that was time enough for a team to climb back into the American League West race . . . and then fall back out of it again.

It’s also a long time for a pitcher to spend without facing big-league hitting, as Petry showed in his abbreviated 2-inning stint during the Angels’ 5-2 loss to the Orioles before 22,867 at Anaheim Stadium.

Petry (3-6) pitched to just 17 batters in his much-awaited return to the Angels’ rotation. For three batters, he was perfect.

But after the 1-2-3 first inning, Petry labored through a nine-man second inning. Eddie Murray led off with a titanic home run to right. Mickey Tettleton and Fred Lynn singled, advanced on a sacrifice and scored on a bloop single by Rene Gonzales. Gonzales then stole second base and scored on a single by Joe Orsulak.

Down, 4-1, entering the third inning, Petry left before its completion, sandwiching two outs between three bases on balls.

All told, Petry’s comeback totaled 69 pitches. He allowed five hits and four walks--and recorded eight outs.

It was something less than what Angel Manager Cookie Rojas was looking for.

“Hopefully, he can give us five or six innings,� Rojas said before Tuesday’s game. “I watched him throw in the bullpen a couple days ago, and he pitched very well. He had good velocity, good breaking pitches, good strength.�

But warming up in the bullpen isn’t quite a match for facing big-league competition, even if that competition is the Baltimore Orioles.

Ending the Angels’ five-game winning streak, Baltimore batted around against Petry in the second inning and had the bases loaded in the third before Angel reliever Jack Lazorko could record the inning’s final out.

The Orioles added a run in the fourth inning on a home run to right by Orsulak.

Meanwhile, the Angels could manage but two runs in seven innings against Baltimore starter Dave Schmidt. Both were on solo home runs--by Chili Davis in the second inning and Wally Joyner in the third.

Davis’ home run was his 20th of the season, marking the third time in his seven-year career that he has reached that total. He established a career high by hitting 24 home runs in 1987 for the San Francisco Giants.

Joyner’s home run was his 12th of the season, pulling him within one of Tony Armas.

The Angels totaled eight hits against Schmidt but were undermined by a pair of double plays. Dick Schofield grounded into one during the fourth inning, and Bob Boone lined into another in the seventh. Both times, Thad Bosley had opened the inning with a single.

The Angels also had runners on first and second in the second inning but left them stranded when Mark McLemore flied to center field for the third out.

Lazorko, originally scheduled to start Tuesday’s game before the Angels decided to re-activate Petry from the disabled list Monday, pitched 4 innings of decent relief. The only run he allowed was Orsulak’s home run. The only other hits he allowed were singles by Brady Anderson (two), Pete Stanicek and Orsulak.

Lazorko pitched into the eighth, when he left with one out and a runner on first base. Greg Minton replaced him and got Stanicek to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

Baltimore reliever Mark Thurmond opened the bottom of the eighth and faced two batters--getting one out and walking Joyner.

Then Mark Williamson was summoned from the Oriole bullpen. He promptly walked Brian Downing, but then shut down the threat by striking out Davis and Armas.

Tom Niedenfuer closed out the victory by working the ninth inning. Niedenfuer yielded a leadoff walk to Bosley, then got Boone to ground into a double play. Pinch-hitter Jim Eppard followed with a single through the right side of the infield before McLemore grounded to second to end the game.

Angel Notes

Gain a Pitcher, Lose a Pitcher: As soon as Dan Petry made his return to the rotation Tuesday, the Angels discovered that Kirk McCaskill will need to rest his arm at least three more weeks--which probably finishes him for the season. “The doctors tell me the nerve in his right arm needs about three weeks or so before it’s back to normal,� Angel Manager Cookie Rojas said. “On the 15th (of September), they want to do some more tests on the nerve. Until then, they’ve told him just to rest.� Rojas said McCaskill’s layoff figures to extend beyond Sept. 15. “If, by then, his arm’s OK, then you get into, ‘Well, when’s the last time he pitched?’ and getting him ready again,� Rojas said. “We’re probably looking at next year. Why rush him just for one start? He’s too valuable to the organization for that.� . . . It Costs to Do the Cookie: Rojas’ now-infamous bowing routine during an Aug. 17 rhubarb at Yankee Stadium earned the Angel manager a $150 fine from American League president Bobby Brown. John Shulock, one of the three umpires who ejected Rojas from that game, accused Rojas of spitting on him--among other things--in the report he filed with the league office. “That’s a lie, if that’s his story,� said Rojas, who will appeal the fine. “In the letter he sent to Dr. Brown, Mr. Shulock claimed I (spit) saliva all over him--and that’s not true. I have never done that to an umpire in my life. I did touch (umpire Mike Reilly) but I did not spit on anybody. If I did so, I’d admit it. But there’s nothing to admit.�

With major league rosters expanding up to 40 players on Thursday, Rojas and General Manager Mike Port will meet today to decide which minor leaguers will be recalled for the month of September. Some names Rojas is interested in getting a look at: Texas League batting champion Jim McCollom, who hit .343 for Midland; Midland teammate Jeff Manto, who hit 24 home runs and drove in 101 runs, and Palm Springs pitcher Colin Charland, who went 17-5 with a 2.51 ERA. “But I don’t know if we’re going to bring up Charland,� Rojas said. “It might be too big a jump for him--going from single-A to here. Maybe I could see the kid in the Instructional League this winter.� Other candidates for recall include Edmonton infielder Gus Polidor and outfielders Mike Brown (.350, 21 RBIs in 32 games) and Dante Bichette (13 home runs, 78 RBIs). . . . Because of injuries to Devon White and Jack Howell, Mark McLemore batted leadoff and started at third base Tuesday night. White sprained his ankle sliding into second base on Monday and is expected to miss the rest of this series. Howell was given the night off because of a sore lower back.