ANGELS AREN'T READY TO GIVE UP; AFTER SWEEP, THEY HEAD NORTH.

Byline: ANGELS 4, TEXAS 1 By Marc Spears Daily News Staff Writer

Well, the scenario is not exactly as dramatic as the Dodgers vs. the San Francisco Giants.

But the Angels have created some playoff-race intensity by forcing division front-runner Seattle into a meaningful two-game series at the Kingdome starting Tuesday.

The Angels swept a three-game series against the Texas Rangers with a 4-1 victory in front of 35,308 at The Ballpark in Arlington on Sunday afternoon. It was their first sweep of the Rangers since 1990.

The victory kept the Angels, who have won six of their past eight, five games behind Seattle with six games left. The Mariners, whose magic number is down to two, will play at Oakland tonight while Anaheim is idle and waiting in Seattle.

``Now we can go up there and see how we do,'' said Angels manager Terry Collins. ``That is what we played all year for, to play them head-to-head in a big series. That is what is staring us in the face.''

``We wish we were two games out, one game out or tied,'' he said. ``We aren't, but we still have to go out there. If we want to have any hope at all, we have to win two.''

Down 1-0 to the Rangers entering the third inning, the Angels tied the game when Garret Anderson scored after Dave Hollins, who will have right-knee surgery at season's end, beat out a throw at first for an RBI infield single with two outs. Anaheim took a 2-1 lead in the seventh when Tony Phillips scored after Tim Salmon beat out a throw to first on a fielder's choice.

``If you're a young player and don't use effort (like Salmon and Hollins) and see how it won a game, you'll never reach the status that those guys have,'' Collins said.

In the eighth, the Angels went ahead 3-1 on Gary DiSarcina's RBI double and added another run in the ninth on Chad Kreuter's two-out RBI single.

``We can't slack off (against Seattle),'' Kreuter said. ``It'll be a battle, but we have to go up there and play hard-nosed baseball.''

Angels starter Shigetoshi Hasegawa struck out four and allowed just one run on seven hits and a walk in five innings. The right-hander, who has been used mostly in the bullpen, allowed a career-low one run in his sixth start.

Afterward, Hasegawa entered the clubhouse with his clothes missing and a ugly pink dress in his locker. He and his fellow rookies followed an annual team tradition by wearing dresses after the game.

``The dress is very good,'' said Hasegawa, 29, a six-year Japanese League player who was forced to become intoxicated as a rookie in Japan. ``There are rookie traditions in Japan, too. I guess I have to wear it on the airplane, but I don't know if I can sleep with it on.''

After winner Pep Harris (5-4) pitched two scoreless innings and Mike Holtz pitched one, closer Troy Percival took the mound in the ninth. With men on first and third with two outs, Texas shortstop Hanley Frias came to the plate as the tying run after going 0 for 3.

Ex-Angel Jim Leyritz, who hadn't played in the series because of an injured knee, was in the on-deck circle ready to pinch hit. But Frias struck out looking to end the Rangers' last home game of 1997 and Percival earned his 27th save.

The Angels are 5-5 against Seattle this season but just 1-3 in the Kingdome, where they will meet the intimidating 6-foot-10 ace Randy Johnson Tuesday night.

Although it seems inconceivable they will overtake Seattle, the Angels aren't giving up. And since the pressure isn't on them, they plan to enter the Kingdome stress-free and enjoy what could be a pennant race-like series.

``I know we are five back, but we are still in the hunt,'' Collins said. ``Anything can happen. Lets just go out there and finish with a smile on our faces.''

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Photo

Photo: Starter Shigetoshi Hasegawa struck out four and allowed just one run on seven hits in five innings as the Angels beat Texas 4-1.

Associated Press