ANGELS ARE JUST AWFUL : CHICAGO 10, ANGELS 1.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

One month into the season, the Angels finally found something worse than the weather on the road.

Themselves.

They offered little resistance Sunday in losing to the Chicago White Sox 10-1 on an afternoon dressed in drizzle and cold.

``We did nothing very well today,'' manager Marcel Lachemann said. ``We didn't pitch well, we didn't play defense, we didn't run the bases well. It was a very poor outing.''

The Angels (12-11) have lost three in a row, scoring just two runs in their past 18 innings. The team ERA is up to 5.28, almost a run higher than the franchise record. The White Sox (14-9) have won nine of 10.

``It was a weird game,'' shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. ``It just seemed like nothing was going to go our way. We were stuck in neutral.''

Starter Chuck Finley lasted only two innings, leaving after his fourth walk, three of which scored. He called his effort ``minor league.''

Garret Anderson batted twice with the bases loaded but failed to drive anyone in. He flied out and struck out, swinging at a pitch that was - no kidding - above his eyes.

Chili Davis ran the Angels out of a rally when he was caught trying to take an extra base. Said Lachemann, ``Poor decision.''

Finley and reliever Mark Holzemer helped Chicago's scoring with throwing errors. Finley said he knew he was ``killing my teammates.''

``It seems like everything we do right now is a struggle,'' DiSarcina said. ``So many guys had such big seasons last year, we're expecting it. I'm just as bad as everyone else.''

The final Angels reliever Sunday was Mark Eichhorn, who was brought in specifically to face Frank Thomas with two runners on in the eighth. Eichhorn threw him one pitch.

Home run.

Notes: Lachemann was walking gingerly Sunday after straining his right hamstring falling down steps Saturday in the visitor's dugout. He took out the lineup card before the game and did go to the mound when necessary, just carefully. . . . Finley needs one strikeout to reach 1,400 in his career. . . . Chris Snopek is the first White Sox shortstop to bat fourth since Ron Hansen on July 19, 1967, against the Angels.

Arias isn't hitting: Both Lachemann and general manager Bill Bavasi continue to say they are not concerned about third baseman George Arias' hitting. But with the rookie's average at a season-low .203, they must be less than comfortable.

``We're not hitting, but this is not George Arias' fault,'' Lachemann said. ``He's not expected to hit. He's supposed to catch the ball, and he's done that.''

Arias, 24, who made the team as a longshot, in spring training has admitted he is fighting the thoughts of being demoted. He jumped all way from Double-A Midland to the Angels.

``He's so worried and I don't know what about,'' designated hitter Davis said. ``He's going to worry himself back down. He's not being George Arias right now.''

Where's the hitting? The Angels' offense continues to stumble.

After Sunday, the Angels were 13th in runs, hits and extra-base hits (ahead of Kansas City) and 12th in on-base percentage (ahead of Boston and Kansas City).

``We've only got one or two guys in the lineup who are hot,'' shortstop DiSarcina said. ``That's not going to carry your team. Last year, we had six or seven guys hot at one time.''

DiSarcina was hitless in four at-bats Sunday, dropping his average to .192. Along with Arias, J.T. Snow (.244) also has been lagging most of the season.

Several Angels have admitted they aren't the same without hitting coach Rod Carew, who has been away from the team tending to his daughter's funeral.

``This team misses his presence,'' Davis said.

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PHOTO Chili Davis wasn't the sole reason the Angels lost to the White Sox, but he ran his team out of a rally trying to take an extra base.

Associated Press