A’s Win; McCaskill Again Fails to Last

An update on that five-man troupe that is supposed to make the difference in the American League West race in 1987, the Angels’ starting pitching rotation:

Mike Witt is proceeding with business as usual but Don Sutton is 0-3, Urbano Lugo is also winless, John Candelaria hardly has a leg to stand on and now Kirk McCaskill’s elbow has become an item of real concern for the Angels.

McCaskill could pitch only six innings of the Angels’ 10-5 loss to the Oakland A’s Monday night, leaving with the same elbow discomfort that forced him out of his first start in Oakland after six innings two weeks ago.

McCaskill left with a 5-3 lead, having made only 78 pitches. His departure was felt immediately, as relievers Mike Cook and Gary Lucas combined to serve up seven Oakland runs in a mere matter of three innings. Cook surrendered a two-run home run to Dwayne Murphy and Lucas a grand slam to Tony Phillips in the ninth.

But the real concern in the Angel clubhouse is what the condition of McCaskill’s elbow could mean to the club over the long term. Team physician Dr. Lewis Yocum examined the arm after McCaskill returned to the locker room and scheduled further tests, including an arthrogram, today at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood.

Suddenly, the supposed rock-solid foundation of this Angel team is in a very fragile state.

And Angel Manager Gene Mauch was not in much of a mood to discuss the latest setback.

“I haven’t got time for any questions,” was Mauch’s postgame greeting to reporters. “I’ll tell you what I know. (McCaskill) could have 30 or more starts if we handle it right.”

But later, his temper having cooled a bit, Mauch admitted that McCaskill’s painful sixth inning was “not a good sign . . . not a good sign at all.”

As he had in last Wednesday’s 4-0 shutout of Seattle, McCaskill tried to avoid throwing breaking balls, which put added strain on the elbow, and concentrate on his fastball. This time, the strategy didn’t work.

“I just tried to do what I could,” McCaskill said. “I stuck with the game plan, but everything pretty much bothered it. I came in with a little trepidation, because it didn’t feel good in the pen (before the game).”

Earlier, McCaskill had claimed that the aching elbow was nothing new but an ailment that had cropped up from time to time since his high school days. Monday, he altered that prognosis.

“Last year, I didn’t experience pain like this,” he said. “Last year, it hurt more in the front (McCaskill pointed just below his biceps). Now, it hurts more under the elbow.”

Today’s arthrogram entails injecting a dye into McCaskill’s elbow and then X-raying the area. “I had just about every test except for that one,” he said. “It feels like arthritis. I guess I have an old elbow.”

McCaskill entered the game with a career record of 5-0 against Oakland and had little trouble through four innings. He allowed three singles--two of the infield variety--while striking out five, including Jose Canseco twice.

He led, 3-1, thanks to Brian Downing, the Angels’ designated A’s kicker, and some signs of resurgence from slumping Wally Joyner.

Downing, who owns career totals of 23 home runs and 82 runs-batted in against Oakland pitching, had a single, a triple and a run-scoring single in his first three at-bats. Joyner, beginning the evening with a .192 batting average, drove in a pair of runs with a first-inning sacrifice fly and a fifth-inning single.

McCaskill had retired eight straight A’s before Dwayne Murphy opened the fifth with a single to right. Then, the 3-1 advantage disappeared in a flash. Rookie catcher Terry Steinbach homered over the fence in right-center and the game was tied.

But again, the Angels responded in the bottom of the inning.

White drove a ball into the gap in right-center, a ball that appeared to be within the range of Oakland center fielder Murphy. Murphy got to the ball in time, but didn’t bring it down with him. It sailed just over his glove and by the time the ball was relayed back to the infield, White was on third base with a triple.

He then scored on Joyner’s single and Joyner scored on a single by Dick Schofield, presenting McCaskill with a 5-3 edge.

McCaskill responded with another perfect inning in the sixth. Then the elbow tightened up and Mauch was forced to resort to the bullpen.

Cook pitched long enough to let the A’s tie the score and Lucas pitched long enough to lose it.

Canseco was the first batter Cook faced. He doubled. Murphy was the second batter Cook faced. He homered.

Cook finally got three outs and turned the eighth inning over to Lucas. More of the same followed.

Davis led off against Lucas and doubled. Phillips then walked and Carney Lansford sacrificed. A short infield hopper to McLemore by Reggie Jackson scored Davis and Oakland moved in front, 6-5.

A one-run deficit, the Angels could handle. But then in the ninth, Lucas turned it into a five-run deficit. He walked Steinbach and, with two outs, loaded the bases via an double by Alfredo Griffin and a walk to Davis. Phillips followed with a grand slam on a 2-2 pitch and any hopes of an Angel rally were shattered.