ANGELS' LOSS HURTS TO NINTH DEGREE T.B. HAS BIG FOURTH INNING; A'S WIN, ARE 1 1/2 GAMES OUT OF FIRST TAMPA BAY 12, ANGELS 8.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The standings say the Angels hold first place in the American League West, but many more games like Friday's 12-8 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and it'll be the Angels doing the chasing.

The loss, coupled with an Oakland victory at Baltimore, moved the A's to within 1 1/2 games of the Angels in the AL West. While the Devil Rays have the third-best record in the majors since the All-Star break (25-15), the Angels have muddled along just a tad over .500 (21-19).

The Angels have lost their past two games to teams (Orioles and Devil Rays) under .500 and have lost six of their past 10 overall. But Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he isn't concerned about momentum as his club gets ready for September.

``I don't look at it as momentum,'' he said. ``Whether we won tonight or lost tonight, there's another challenge the next day. Hopefully, guys have caught their breath and are ready for the final push. We feel good with where the guys are. But you've got to start from scratch every ballgame, and our guys understand that.''

Indeed, the Angels might have been winded just watching the speedy Devil Rays circle the bases Friday at Tropicana Field, particularly in a nine-run fourth inning. Tampa Bay sent 13 batters to the plate, got nine hits, including three home runs (Jorge Cantu, Travis Lee and Jonny Gomes), and two walks.

Angels starter Ervin Santana began the fourth but didn't finish it, and reliever Kevin Gregg took his share of pounding in the inning as well. In all, Santana (7-6) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The rookie pitcher had gone 4-1 in his previous six starts, but had trouble locating his fastball Friday. The Devil Rays scored seven of their nine runs in the inning with two outs.

``Ervin had a night where the ball was up,'' Scioscia said. ``He came close to getting out of some jams but couldn't get that last out.''

The Angels nearly rallied, as they had 14 hits themselves, including three by Robb Quinlan and Maicer Izturis' first home run with the Angels.

They scored two runs in the first, two in the fourth and three in the fifth. In the seventh inning, the Angels trailed 10-8 and had runners on second and third with nobody out and the top of the lineup due up.

But Chone Figgins struck out, Orlando Cabrera popped out and Darin Erstad struck out to end the threat.

``The infield was back so I was just trying to put the ball in play,'' Figgins said. ``With two strikes I've got to protect the plate, and (reliever Trever Miller) threw it high enough that I couldn't get to it. He made a good pitch.''

Joe Borowski replaced Miller and retired Cabrera and Erstad. After the game, the Angels quietly dressed after getting undressed by a hot Devil Rays team.

``How about a nine-run inning?'' mused Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella. ``A lot of hitting in that inning. I don't remember a team having a nine-run inning and losing a ballgame. But we didn't, that's the big thing.''

Despite Scioscia's one-game-at-a-time mentality, the Angels might hope some of the Devil Rays' momentum rubs off on them.

``We talk about playing the season and seeing where we are at the end,'' Erstad said. ``But obviously, we're going to have to get hot if we're going to be doing anything in October. We'll get it figured out. We'll be OK.''

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 5 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Tampa Bay baserunner Carl Crawford is safe, just ahead of the tag by Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera in Friday's game.

(2) Angels pitcher Kevin Gregg waits for the next batter as Tampa Bay's Johnny Gomes, background, runs around the bases after hitting a homer.

Scott Audette/Associated Press

Box:

(1) ANGELS at TAMPA BAY

- Joe Haakenson

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC 

(5) AL WEST