ANGELS GET WIN IN 13TH : ANGELS 9, CHICAGO 8.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

Last week we found out how the Angels play when they're behind.

Monday we found out how they play when they're ahead: not very well.

Unless, of course, you think blowing two leads (including a five-run advantage), with the help of two errors committed during the same inning by the starting shortstop, and seeing the bullpen falter are good things.

That's what the Angels did Monday at Anaheim Stadium, turning what should have been an easy victory into a difficult one. Randy Velarde's bad-hop single got past shortstop Ozzie Guillen to score Tim Salmon with the winning run in the 13th inning as the Angels beat the Chicago White Sox 9-8 in a 4-hour, 26-minute marathon before 17,836 fans.

The White Sox battled back from 6-1 and 7-5 deficits before going ahead by one run in the 10th inning on Danny Tartabull's home run to center field off reliever Rich Monteleone.

But the Angels tied it in the bottom half when Don Slaught singled in Velarde.

They kept up the offensive pressure in extra innings, even loading the bases in the 11th, before breaking through in the 13th.

Salmon led off with a double, moved to third when J.T. Snow grounded into a 6-4-3 double play and scored on Velarde's single to make a winner of Ryan Hancock, the sixth pitcher the Angels used.

A home run by rookie Darin Erstad, the first of his career, helped the Angels take a commanding five-run lead, but apparently they forgot how to protect advantages after their streak of seven straight come-from-behind wins ended Sunday.

Right-hander Shawn Boskie was in command until the seventh, but shortstop Gary DiSarcina botched two fielding chances that would have gotten the Angels out of the inning.

Instead, ex-Angel Tony Phillips came to the plate and hit a three-run home run that pulled the White Sox to within one.

Designated hitter Chili Davis gave the Angels some breathing room with a solo home run in the seventh, but in the next inning the White Sox tied it when Robin Ventura hit a two-run home run off reliever Mike James.

The Angels had a chance to win the game in the ninth. With two outs, Davis walked and Snow singled to right-center field. Orlando Palmeiro, running for Davis, took third on Snow's hit but stayed there as Tim Wallach flied out to right field to end the inning.

A bright spot for the Angels was Erstad, who just a few day ago looked helpless at the plate.

Offer him a changeup and he would swing at it like it was a Nolan Ryan fastball.

Toss him a curve and watch how easily it would duck under his massive cut for a strike.

After his first three major-league games, his numbers were embarrassing: 1 for 11 with five strikeouts.

Then came his fourth game, in which it all came together so suddenly for him.

Erstad, no longer looking overmatched at the plate, showed why the Angels made him the No. 1 pick overall in the June 1995 draft and didn't hesitate to call him up from the minor leagues last week, getting three hits including his first career home run.

``It was great to see him get his feet under him against a terrific pitcher in (Chicago starter Alex) Fernandez,'' Angels manager Marcel Lachemann said. ``He's one of the best in the league.''

Erstad's third-inning home run erased a 1-0 White Sox lead, he added a third RBI with a single in the fourth, scored twice and, for good measure, stole his first base.

Not bad, especially for a guy who had resembled a weekend hack at a local batting cage during his first three games.

None of his hits were cheap. His base hit in the first and in the fourth were both sharply hit.

Boskie overcame a shaky first inning, when consecutive singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly allowed Toronto to take a 1-0 lead. But he settled down to retire 14 straight batters before Phillips led off the sixth with a single.

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Photo

Photo: Angels rookie Darin Erstad doubles home a run in the fourth inning.

Associated Press