A DOWN NIGHT FOR HALOS LOSE TO PADRES, THEN SEND JERED WEAVER BACK TO TRIPLE-A SAN DIEGO 5, ANGELS 4.

Byline: BEN VILLA Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- Friday night's game was a tough one for Angels fans to watch. Listening to the news after it was probably even tougher.

The Angels' defense betrayed them once again as Mike Napoli made a costly error in the top of the ninth inning that led to the eventual winning run as the San Diego Padres came away with a 5-4 victory in front of 44,005 at Angel Stadium.

The Angels wasted a solid effort by Jeff Weaver, who struck out a season-high nine batters in six innings.

But after the game, Weaver learned that he will remain in the rotation, while younger brother Jered will not.

The Angels activated Bartolo Colon late Friday night and he'll start Sunday's game against the Padres. To make room for him, the Angels sent rookie phenom down to Triple-A Salt Lake, where he'll also pitch Sunday.

``We have six guys throwing the ball well and we only have five spots,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Jered understandably was disappointed when he learned he was being sent down. The way he's been pitching, there's not much you can tell him.

``He's done a terrific job for us but he's not a finished product. He can use this to clean some things up and I told him to keep his head up and stay sharp and get after it down there. But the year isn't over yet; a lot of things could happen.''

Jered Weaver began his Angels career by going 4-0 with an ERA of 1.37 and, up until Friday, many believed he would stay in the rotation and Jeff Weaver would either be sent to the bullpen or, perhaps, dealt to another team.

``It's a strange feeling right now,'' Jeff Weaver said. ``It's tough because there's no reason Jered should be sent down except that we have a guy coming off the disabled list. But it's going to be a short time before he comes back up here.

``I think he showed that he belongs here and it's important for him to understand that and I think he does.''

After he learned the news, Jered Weaver appeared to take it in stride.

``I figured it was going to happen sooner or later,'' Jered Weaver said. ``Bart is coming back and I have to be positive, to work hard and come back up here. I probably could have done more to stay up here and I'll go down to Salt Lake and keep battling.

``Right now, our whole staff is doing well and I'm the odd man out.''

With the score tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Angels elected to bring closer Francisco Rodriguez into a tie ballgame instead of leaving in Scot Shields, who pitched a scoreless eighth.

Khalil Greene led off and quickly fell behind 0-2, but Rodriguez hung a curveball that Greene smacked down the left-field line for a double.

Josh Barfield then laid down a bunt in front of the plate. Napoli pounced on it, but instead of throwing to first, he threw to third, where the ball got past Dallas McPherson and into left field, allowing Greene to score the go-ahead run.

The Angels have allowed 48 unearned runs this season, most in the majors. By comparison, the Angels allowed just 45 all of last season.

``If I had to do it all over again, I would try and make the same play,'' Napoli said. ``I was trying to get the lead runner and stop them from getting a guy on third with less than two outs.

``Maybe I was a little off-balance, but I just didn't make a good throw.''

Trevor Hoffman pitched the bottom of the ninth and, after allowing a two-out single to Juan Rivera, struck Adam Kennedy to earn his 16th save of the season.

The Angels scored first against Padres starter Clay Hensley. Chone Figgins singled to lead off the game and later came around to score with two outs on an RBI single by Garret Anderson. Rivera gave the Angels a 3-0 lead one inning later on a two-run home run to center.

But the Padres scored two runs off Jeff Weaver in the fourth inning even though, through little fault of his own. Adrian Gonzalez led off with a single and, after Josh Bard struck out, Mark Bellhorn hit what looked to be a lazy flyball to left field that appeared destined to be the second out of the inning. But Rivera, playing in place of Anderson, who was DH-ing, lost the ball in the lights and it fell behind him for a double.

Weaver managed to strike out Greene, but gave up a double to Barfield down the left-field line to pull the Padres to within one run at 3-2.

``Mistakes are going to happen and, in the twilight, the ball was tough for Juan to see,'' Jeff Weaver said. ``But the bottom line is that we had the lead after that inning and through seven innings, we just came up short again.''

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Photo:

San Diego's Khalil Greene, left, scores the go-ahead run as Angels third baseman Dallas McPherson is on his knees after failing to catch an errant throw by catcher Mike Napoli in the ninth inning Friday.

Francis Specker/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. SAN DIEGO

-Ben Villa