ANGELS FALL AT FINISH ROAD TRIP ENDS WITH A NINTH-INNING LOSS TEXAS 6, ANGELS 5.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Angels returned home late Wednesday night, down but not out. Their 6-5 loss to the Texas Rangers before 27,858 at The Ballpark in Arlington completed a road trip that began in Oakland and ended with four losses in six games.

They began the trip four games behind first-place Seattle and returned five out. They are only two games behind Oakland in the wild-card race. They lost Wednesday on Rusty Greer's two-out RBI single in the ninth off Angels reliever Al Levine.

``I feel we played good baseball, but you don't get points for being in the game,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``We've played a lot of close ballgames and won more than our share all year. But the ball didn't bounce our way in this series or in Oakland.''

The Angels got Troy Glaus' 30th home run of the season and a three-run homer from Tim Salmon (No. 21). But the homers were all but forgotten by the ninth inning.

The bottom of the ninth featured the Angels using their five-man infield for the sixth time this year. It has become more common lately, as they've used it four times since the All-Star break, including twice in the last three nights against the Rangers.

The Angels had tied the game at 5 in the ninth on Scott Spiezio's pinch RBI single off Rangers closer John Wetteland but found themselves on the brink of defeat after Rangers pinch-hitter Frank Catalanotto tripled with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Left fielder Darin Erstad has been used as the fifth infielder in the previous games, but Wednesday he was the DH. So Scioscia brought in center fielder Garret Anderson and put him at first base. Anderson played first in the minors.

First baseman Mo Vaughn borrowed Scott Spiezio's infield glove and moved to the second-base spot, and the Angels were set to pitch to Luis Alicea.

``I told O (left fielder Orlando Palmeiro) to tell (Scioscia) he played second base in the minor leagues,'' Salmon said. ``I wouldn't go in (to play infield). I've lost too many teeth already.''

Palmeiro found the ball anyway, as Alicea hit a blooper to shallow left that Palmeiro caught charging toward the infield, giving Catalanotto no chance to tag and score. With two outs, Anderson returned to center, Vaughn to first and the Angels were almost out of it.

But Greer spoiled the Angels' plans by slapping a 3-1 pitch from Levine the other way to left to drive in Catalanotto for a Rangers victory.

Of the six times the Angels have used the five-man infield, they've recorded the important second out four times. But only once did they get the third out. That was Monday, when they went on to win the game in 12 innings.

In the other games, they lost to the Dodgers on Jim Leyritz's two-out RBI single, to the Padres on Eric Owens' two-out bunt that Levine booted for an error, and on Wednesday.

ANGELS vs. CHICAGO

Time: 7:05 p.m. at Edison Field.

TV/Radio: FSN; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090).

Matchup: Brian Cooper (4-4, 4.74 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Chicago's Jon Garland (1-2, 8.22), the former Kennedy High of Granada Hills star. The White Sox have the best record in the majors, but the Angels beat the White Sox two out of three at Chicago in April. Tonight's game is the first in a seven-game homestand (four vs. White Sox, three vs. Detroit).

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo: (1) JACKSON

(2) GLAUS

(3) ANDERSON

Box: (1) Angels vs. Chicago (see text)

(2) Chasing Reggie