Sax Helps Yankees Overtake Angels in 10th

The Angels’ offense came to life Friday night long enough to end a scoreless streak at 26 innings but not long enough to produce a victory.

Bernie Williams scored on Steve Sax’s fielder’s choice grounder with one out in the 10th inning to give the New York Yankees a 2-1 victory over the Angels and prolong the Angels’ losing streak to six games.

Williams led off the 10th with a four-pitch walk from Bryan Harvey (1-2), who relieved Angel starter Mark Langston at the beginning of the 10th inning. Williams took second when pinch-hitter Matt Nokes singled to right, and moved to third on Pat Kelly’s neatly executed sacrifice up the third-base line. Sax followed with a grounder to second, where Donnie Hill was unable to get the ball out of his glove. Hill’s throw was too late to get the sliding Williams.

The Angels scored their only run in the fifth inning off Yankee starter Scott Kamieniecki.

Langston pitched nine strong innings in his attempt to become the first 13-game winner in the major leagues. He gave up two hits in the first inning but didn’t allow another hit until Jesse Barfield singled to center with one out in the ninth. He walked three and struck out eight in becoming the first Angel starter to pitch nine innings since Chuck Finley did so in a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox June 4.

The Angels, trying to end a five-game losing streak, frustrated the crowd of 31,348 by failing to score more than one run. But their five hits over nine innings was two more hits than they had collected in their previous three games, a small sign that their offense might be shaking off its slump.

Langston, who was relieved by Bryan Harvey in the 10th, became the first Angel pitcher to last nine innings since Chuck Finley did so June 4 in a 3-0 victory over Boston.

Langston was an unsteady in the first, but he righted himself quickly enough to hold the Yankees to one run after giving up two doubles and a walk.

Former Dodger Steve Sax got the Yankees going when he slammed a double to the warning track in center on an 0-and-1 pitch. Randy Velarde then worked the count full and drew a walk. Don Mattingly, a left-handed hitter who had a .306 average against Langston before Friday’s game, improved that by lining a double over Winfield’s head, scoring Sax and moving Velarde to third.

Faced with a potentially big inning, Langston regrouped and quelled the Yankees’ threat. He struck out Barfield, got Kevin Maas to pop up to shortstop Schofield in short right-center and struck out Hensley Meulens to end the inning.

The Angels managed to get a runner on base in the first and second innings, but it didn’t count for anything on the scoreboard. Luis Polonia led off the game by reaching when third baseman Pat Kelly bobbled his grounder for an instant, but Polonia got no further when Wally Joyner flied to left and Winfield grounded into a double play.

Gary Gaetti singled to left with two out in the second, only the team’s fourth hit in 24 innings and sixth baserunner. But he was stranded when Max Venable struck out.

Kamieniecki’s control deserted him in the third inning, but the Angels still couldn’t capitalize. They loaded the bases with two out but failed to score, their 25th consecutive scoreless inning.

Donnie Hill walked after taking Kamieniecki to a full count, and he moved to second on Schofield’s sacrifice to first. Polonia walked on four pitches--his 26th walk of the season, one more than his 1990 total--and was forced at second by Joyner, but Winfield took four pitches out of the strike zone and marched to first.

That brought up Dave Parker, who had one hit in his previous 14 at-bats. He made good contact with the ball and lined to left, momentarily exciting the crowd, but rookie left fielder Meulens caught the ball inches above the ground to end the inning.

Gaetti singled to left with one out in the fourth.

Gaetti stole second as Venable struck out, bringing Donnie Hill to the plate. He was unable to end the Angels’ drought, as he grounded to third.

Langston pitched well after his initial problems. He held the Yankees hitless over the next four innings, but did give up two walks that didn’t hurt him.