Watson Becomes a Stopper

ANAHEIM — He doesn’t have the fancy 10-game winning streak, and his name is not plastered all over the Angel record book, but Allen Watson has been only a shade less consistent--and dominant--than ace Chuck Finley the last two months.

And there’s no shame in that.

The Angels’ other left-hander came through with another solid effort Friday night to lead the Angels to an 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox before an announced crowd of 24,977 in Anaheim Stadium.

Watson (11-7) gave up four runs--three earned--on eight hits and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings, ending the Angel losing streak at three, spoiling Boston pitcher Bret Saberhagen’s first start in almost two years and keeping the Angels 2 1/2 games behind Seattle in the American League West.

Watson, who survived a jarring collision with first baseman Darin Erstad in the third inning, is 6-3 with a 3.21 earned-run average in his last 13 starts and has given up three earned runs or less in 10 of those games.

He was tagged for home runs by Red Sox rookie Nomar Garciaparra in the first (solo) and third (two-run) innings Friday night and now leads the major leagues in home runs allowed with 27, but that has hardly diminished his performance.

“There were a lot of games where he left after seven or eight innings with a lead and we weren’t able to hold it,” Manager Terry Collins said. “Otherwise he might have another five or six wins and you’d be looking at a heck of a season.”

Watson struck out Boston slugger Mo Vaughn three times but tired in the seventh, leaving with two on and two out and a pitch count of 127. Pep Harris walked Jeff Frye to load the bases, but Mike Holtz came on to strike out pinch-hitter Scott Hatteberg, who looked at three breaking balls.

Holtz had a scoreless eighth before giving up a homer to Vaughn in the ninth. Troy Percival came on to retire Hatteberg on a game-ending groundout for his 21st save.

The Angels broke open a 5-3 game with a three-run sixth that began with bunt singles by Chad Kreuter and Gary DiSarcina. Rickey Henderson walked, and Tony Phillips drilled a two-run single up the middle, sending Henderson to third. Henderson scored on Erstad’s sacrifice fly to make it 8-3.

Through four innings, it was Angels 4, Garciaparra 3, the Red Sox scoring all of their runs on Garciaparra homers, the second of which gave the former Bellflower St. John Bosco star 23 homers and the major league record for rookie shortstops.

The shot to center also followed a mishap that almost cost the Angels another key player in a week in which they lost catcher Todd Greene (broken bone in his right wrist) for the season and Finley (sprained left wrist) for at least a week.

Darren Bragg opened the third with a popup between the mound, home and first, and Watson, not sure if Erstad or Kreuter would make the play, called it himself.

But Erstad, the former Nebraska punter, apparently didn’t hear Watson and crashed into him as he tried to make the catch. The ball fell to the ground and so did Watson, who remained on his back for several scary moments. But Watson got up, threw a few warmup pitches and was OK.

“I thought Chad had it, and then he called for Erstad,” Watson said. “I just stuck my glove out and the next thing you know he hit me . . . I could tell he played football, but we’re two big guys, we’re not going to hurt anybody.”

Watson caused another scary moment in the sixth when his run-away fastball hit Bragg in the helmet. The impact sent Bragg to the dirt and opened a gash above his right eye, but he walked back to the clubhouse under his own power. Bragg was taken to Anaheim Memorial Hospital for stitches.

The Angels nearly delivered a knockout blow in the first to Saberhagen, who hadn’t pitched since Game 4 of the 1995 National League Division Series for Colorado because of shoulder injuries.

The inning was a 40-pitch labor of loath for Saberhagen, who gave up RBI doubles to Phillips, Dave Hollins and Garret Anderson, a walk, a hit batsman and a wild pick-off attempt, which resulted in a run.

But Saberhagen found a groove in the second, harnessing his tailing fastball and mixing in a few more breaking balls, and the right-hander held the Angels hitless through the fourth.