After a 7-2 Victory, Finley Is Winningest Angel of All

CLEVELAND —  Mark it down as an aberration. There was simply no other explanation why Chuck Finley struggled so much in the third inning of the Angels’ 7-2 victory Tuesday over the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field.

The Indians scored two runs on three hits against Finley in the third, but otherwise he was masterful in winning his seventh consecutive start and passing Nolan Ryan to become the Angels’ all-time victory leader with 139.

“Just to be mentioned in the same breath with Nolan Ryan is really something,” Finley said. “He had a great career here and really did a lot for this organization.”

Finley retired the Indians in order in the first two innings, faltered in the third, then retired 18 of the final 20 batters he faced for his third complete game this season.

By game’s end, he had faced 31 batters, only four over the minimum. Julio Franco, Omar Vizquel and Tony Fernandez got the only hits off Finley. Brian Giles, who walked twice, and Marquis Grissom, who reached on a fielder’s choice, were the only other baserunners.

“His command of his pitches was as good as I’ve ever seem from him,” Manager Terry Collins said of Finley, 7-0 with a 2.26 earned-run average in July.

Finley, 10-6 with a 4.42 ERA in 21 starts this season, recorded nine strikeouts for the second consecutive start. He has had eight or more strikeouts in four consecutive games.

Designated hitter Jack Howell supplied all the offense Finley would need with two-run homers in the sixth and eighth innings that enabled the Angels to pull away for their third victory in a row over the Indians.

Howell also homered twice in the Angels’ 6-5 loss Sunday to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Tuesday, Finley took the offense the Angels gave him and ran with it. The Indians simply couldn’t catch up.

“He’s an awesome pitcher anyway, but he’s been especially awesome this month,” Howell said.

Finley’s superb start Tuesday gave the road-weary bullpen a much-needed break. Collins gave struggling closer Troy Percival at least two games off, hoping rest will cure what’s ailing him.

Percival is 0-1 with a 23.15 ERA and one save in four appearances on this 10-game trip to New York, Boston and Cleveland.

“I was down to about three relievers tonight and that was it,” Collins said. “Percival is fine. His arm is sound. He’s just beat.”

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Most Angel Victories

Top 5 winningest Angel pitchers:

* Chuck Finley: 139

* Nolan Ryan: 138

* Mike Witt: 109

* Frank Tanana: 102

* Clyde Wright: 87