[0] ANGELS TURN ON JUICE TO WHIP TIGERS SALMON, VAUGHN, SPIEZIO ALL HOMER ONE DAY AFTER BEING BLANKED ANGELS 10, DETROIT 4.

Byline: Gordon Verrell Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Angels manager Mike Scioscia was dwelling on his club's run-scoring potential before Monday night's game, not letting a little thing like getting shut out the day before in Tampa Bay alter his thinking.

``We're doing the things we expected from this club,'' he said, ``and the fact we're doing a lot of it without the middle of the lineup . . . you have to be encouraged. You look at our offensive potential and you have to be excited.''

The Angels certainly gave their manager something to be excited about, trouncing struggling Detroit 10-4 before 15,433 at Edison Field.

It was the Tigers' eighth loss in a row, leaving them 4-14, the worst record in the majors.

Designated hitter Scott Spiezio slugged two home runs, his third and fourth of the season, and Tim Salmon and Mo Vaughn - the middle of the lineup Scioscia was talking about - each hit one, the fourth for both. Vaughn also doubled twice and drove in a season-high four runs.

Left fielder Darin Erstad and Vaughn each had three hits. Spiezio and catcher Bengie Molino each had two.

The win got the Angels even for the year at 10-10.

Ken Hill benefited from the Angels' 14-hit explosion for his second win in five decisions.

Hill pitched into the seventh, scattering seven hits - one of them a thunderous homer in the fifth by Juan Gonzalez, his third - along with three walks and four strikeouts.

Hill left with runners at first and second and only out. Right-hander Al Levine took over and struck out Gonzalez, then got Bobby Higginson on a comebacker for the third out.

Dave Mlicki (0-4) took the loss, shelled for eight runs (seven earned) and 11 hits, four of them homers, in five-plus innings. He didn't strike out anybody.

Shortstop Gary DiSarcina returned to the Angels' lineup after missing two weeks because of a bruised thumb, and he made an immediate impact. He made an excellent play on a low liner by Gregg Jefferies for the third out in the fourth inning, leaving runners at second and third.

Nothing new there for the Tigers; in close games (three-run margin or less), they're hitting a mere .173 with runners in scoring position and, during their eight-game skid, even worse: .156 (5 for 32).

DiSarcina also drove in two runs with a one-out single past third baseman Shane Halter in the bottom of the fourth.

``I'm tired of watching,'' DiSarcina said before the game. ``It will be exciting to get back out there and try to help.''

The Angels scored in each of the first six innings.

Salmon started it with a two-run homer in the first. Spiezio hit the first of his two homers in the second. The Angels made it 4-2 in the third when Vaughn's infield grounder produced a run.

DiSarcina's two-run single in the fourth made it 6-2. Then Vaughn homered in the fifth, a mammoth drive to right-center. And Spiezio's second homer and a two-run double to left-center gave the Angels a 10-3 lead in the sixth.

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Photo: (color) The Angels' Tim Salmon rounds third after hitting a homer in the first inning of the Angels' 10-4 win Monday night.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press