[0] ANGELS SUITED FOR LOSS; MENTAL MISTAKES COME BACK TO HAUNT : SAN DIEGO 6 ANGELS 3.

Byline: Joe Haakenson San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Angels first baseman Cecil Fielder walked into the visiting clubhouse at Qualcomm Stadium on Friday afternoon, took a look at the uniform jerseys hanging in the locker stalls and proclaimed: ``Oh man, they're tired.''

The San Diego Padres promoted their game with the Angels as ``Retro Night.'' Both teams wore uniforms from the 1978 season, disco music played during batting practice and between innings, and even a few Padres players wore giant Afro wigs before the game.

About the only thing uglier than the Padres' brown-and-mustard yellow jerseys was the way the Angels played in a 6-3 loss before 40,621.

Angels starter Jason Dickson (8-5) wasn't nearly as sharp as he had been of late, his seven-game winning streak coming to an end. But a more notable problem was the Angels' defense.

Third baseman Dave Hollins and second baseman Justin Baughman made errors, and just as glaring were the mental errors made by Hollins and Fielder in the Padres' decisive three-run sixth inning.

``I've got to say in the month of June we have not played a game like that, where we gave away runs,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``Jason pitched fine, we just didn't make plays and that's what we've done all month.''

In the fateful sixth inning, Fielder let a sacrifice bunt attempt by Padres starting pitcher Kevin Brown roll past him, hoping it would go foul. It didn't, and Brown was safe at first with a single.

``I think the ball hit something and kicked back,'' Fielder said. ``It was going foul.''

Later in the inning, the Padres had the bases loaded with one out when Greg Vaughn hit a one-hopper to Hollins. Ed Giovanola, running at third base, broke back to the bag thinking Hollins caught the ball on the fly.

Hollins, though, didn't throw home. He hesitated, looked at second, then eventually tagged out Tony Gwynn coming to third from second, allowing Giovanola to score.

``He knew he didn't catch it in the air, and he went to throw to second but Tony was in the way,'' Collins said in defense of his third baseman. ``It was too late to go to third for the double play. It was one of those freaky things.

``When you face Kevin Brown, you can't give away too many runs.

It was a far cry from the way the Angels had been playing. They had won 21 of their previous 25 before Friday.

Brown (9-3) struck out nine in seven innings and Trevor Hoffman pitched 1-2/3 innings for his 24th save in 24 opportunities this season, and 32nd in a row overall.

Brown had an Angel on his side in the early innings, but not one from Anaheim. Brown had seven strikeouts through the first four innings, all seven coming on called-third strikes by homeplate umpire Angel Hernandez.

The Angels' only runs of the game came in the fourth inning when Fielder hit one halfway to Anaheim. One pitch after Brown brushed him back, Fielder hit his 13th home run of the year into the second deck in left-center field for a 3-0 lead. The distance was estimated at 443 feet.

It was the 18th home run to reach the second deck in the stadium's history, the eighth by a Padres opponent, and the first opponent to do so since the Dodgers' Mike Piazza did it on Sept. 22, 1996.

Also: Todd Greene has consulted with doctors, talked to manager Terry Collins and general manager Bill Bavasi and finally he's made up his mind.

No surgery - at least, not yet.

Greene, who has what trainer Ned Bergert called ``internal impingement caused by instability in the right shoulder,'' will begin a rehabilitation program immediately and has set a target date of Aug.1. If the shoulder doesn't show significant improvement by then, Greene likely will have the surgery and still have enough time to recover in time for spring training next season.

But Greene, after visiting Drs. Lewis Yocum, Frank Jobe and James Andrews, is convinced he can come back this season. Not as a catcher, but to play first base, the outfield or DH.

``My intent is to help this team win games this year,'' Greene said. ``However I can do that, I'm willing to do.''

ANGELS vs. SAN DIEGO

Time: 1:05 p.m., at Qualcomm Stadium.

TV/Radio: Fox; KRLA 1110-AM, XPRS 1090-AM (Spanish)

Matchups: The Angels' Omar Olivares (5-2, 2.76 ERA) opposes the Padres' Sterling Hitchcock (3-1, 3.63 ERA). Olivares has been the Angels' biggest surprise this season. After starting the season in the bullpen, Olivares ranks third in the American League in ERA. Hitchcock hasn't won a game since June 1, a 3-2 decision over the Cardinals.

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (Color) HOFFMAN: Has converted 24 saves in 24 opportunities this season.

Box: ANGELS vs. SAN DIEGO (See Text)