ANGELS AVOID A GIANT SWEEP WITH ROAD WIN : ANGELS 2, SAN FRANCISCO 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Considering how things have gone for the Angels lately, they must have thought Wednesday was Christmas.

Not only did they learn that shortstop Gary DiSarcina has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment today and could be back within two weeks, the Angels also actually won a game, avoiding a sweep by beating the San Francisco Giants 2-1 before 17,516 at 3Com Park.

DiSarcina will play at Single-A Lake Elsinore today through the weekend before going to Erie, Pa., on Monday to play for the team's Double-A affiliate.

The bad news for the Angels on Wednesday was their offense still isn't hitting. They scored just two runs in each of the three games of the series against the Giants, but this time Angels starting pitcher Tim Belcher held the Giants to one run in eight innings.

Belcher (4-5) was pitching on three days rest and coming off Saturday's fight with the Dodgers' Chan Ho Park. But he cut back on his workouts between starts and it made him stronger for the game.

``Plus, I was sore after that game at Dodger Stadium,'' said Belcher, who threw 117 pitches and lowered his ERA to 6.57, the lowest it has been all season. ``Getting stuck on the bottom of the pile like that is more tiring than making 300 pitches. There's such an adrenaline rush and an emotional rush, it can zap your strength.''

He must have looked strong to the Giants, who scored their only run on Jeff Kent's RBI double in the first inning. Barry Bonds returned to the lineup for the first time since arm surgery April 20 and went 0 for 4, with three of his at-bats against Belcher.

``Belcher gave me problems when I was in Pittsburgh, so this is nothing new,'' said Bonds, who is 6 for 42 vs. Belcher in his career. ``I'm just happy to do what I do best and I just hope it doesn't take too long before I help this ballclub. Right now I feel like a third wheel out there. I've been away so long it takes time to build that bond with your team.''

Belcher said Saturday's fight didn't provide any extra motivation.

``(The fight was) just the motivation to get back out there and prove to the manager and the team that I'm all right,'' Belcher said. ``Because I had pitched three or four pretty good games, then gave up a grand slam and gave up a lead (against the Dodgers). I wanted to get back out there.''

The Angels offense, such as it was, was provided by Jeff Huson's RBI single in the fourth inning and Mo Vaughn's RBI single in the fifth. Both came off losing pitcher Chris Brock (5-5). Vaughn was lifted for a pinch runner after the single because of a stiff left ankle, but he is expected to be back in the DH spot Friday in Anaheim.

Vaughn has struggled lately along with the rest of the offense, and said it's got to change.

``In games we've lost we've given up the lead,'' he said. ``We all know four runs is not enough to win in the American League. When we get teams down, we've got to crush them. Our pitchers have done a good job. But we've got to put teams away when the opportunity's there. That's what good teams do.''

Luckily for the Angels, they had Belcher and closer Troy Percival, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 17th save.

Percival has been almost unhittable since having the worst performance of his career on May 1 against the White Sox. In that one, he gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning in an 8-5 loss. Since then, he has pitched 14-1/3 scoreless innings in 15 games, recording 13 saves and allowing only one hit.

A big play in Wednesday's game came in the third inning when, with one out and a runner at first, Bill Mueller singled to right field. Marvin Benard went from first to third on the play, and the throw in from the outfield was cut off by Huson at shortstop. Huson threw to Vaughn at first to catch Mueller rounding the base too far for the second out of the inning with Bonds coming up.

Bonds rolled out to the pitcher to end the threat.

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Photo

PHOTO (Color) The Giants' Barry Bonds, making his return from arm surgery, reacts after hitting a foul off the Angels' Tim Belcher.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press