Lofton Holds Off Angels for Indians : Baseball: His catch in the sixth inning robs Salmon of a home run and keeps Cleveland ahead in a 4-3 victory.

The Cleveland Indians and the Angels gave away some runs Monday night.

But in the end, the difference in the Angels’ 4-3 loss was the run Indian rookie center fielder Kenny Lofton took away with a highlight-film catch.

“The bad thing is, it’s a Cleveland highlight film,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said.

The game between two young teams was played before 18,013, the smallest Angel crowd at Anaheim Stadium since June 4, 1979, when 16,979 turned out for a game against Toronto.

Lofton saved a run in the sixth inning with a spectacular catch when he climbed the fence near the 386-foot mark and reached at least a foot above it to bring back a drive by Angel rookie Tim Salmon. Lofton came down holding his glove high, the ball in the tip of its webbing.

“I got extended on it,” said Salmon, who was still surprised at how well the ball carried. “The next thing, I saw him leaping. I thought, ‘Sheesh.’ It was a great play. Hats off. He’s a great athlete.”

That catch preserved a 4-1 Cleveland lead for the time being.

In the eighth inning, the Angels took advantage of a Cleveland bullpen collapse to cut the lead to one run.

After Indian starter Rod Nichols (3-3) gave up a leadoff single to Ron Tingley--who tied his personal best with three singles--Cleveland Manager Mike Hargrove called on left-hander Kevin Wickander to face left-handed hitting Luis Polonia.

Wickander lasted seven pitches, hitting Polonia with his third and then walking Luis Sojo on four to load the bases.

Ted Power relieved and got the first out on Junior Felix’s fly to center field.

Power then walked Salmon, falling behind on a 3-and-1 count and missing with a ball four that wasn’t close.

The Angels cut the deficit to 4-3 when Polonia scored on Lee Stevens’ groundout, but the inning ended on Chad Curtis’ fly ball to the warning track in center field.

In the ninth inning, Damion Easley singled with one out against Eric Plunk, who earned his third save. But Easley was caught stealing for the second out, and pinch-hitter Ken Oberkfell grounded out to end the game.

Angel starter Blyleven (7-7), who had won three of his last four decisions, failed in his second attempt to reach 287 victories.

He pitched seven innings and allowed four runs--two of them unearned after first baseman Lee Stevens threw a ball past second base into left-center field on a double-play attempt with one out in the third inning. After intentionally walking Paul Sorrento to load the bases, Blyleven gave up a two-run single to Carlos Martinez, and the Indians had a 4-0 lead.

Cleveland scored a run in each of the first and second innings.

Lofton singled to lead off the game, stole second and took third when Mark Whiten bunted for a single under Easley’s glove. Lofton scored on Carlos Baerga’s fly.

Glenallen Hill’s fielder’s choice grounder scored a run in the second.

Stevens’ error helped put the Angels in a hole, and it proved one they couldn’t climb out of, even with help from the Indians.

“I didn’t think four runs was going to hold up,” Rodgers said.