ANGELS NOTEBOOK: ANGELS SURVIVE TOUGH ROAD TRIP.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Angels got a much-deserved day off Thursday after completing their nine-game trip to Toronto, New York and Boston.

Though the Angels finished the trip at a mediocre 4-5, they returned home in one piece. That is, still in playoff contention. When they landed at LAX early Thursday morning, they were 3 1/2 games behind the Indians in the wild-card race and 5 1/2 behind the Mariners in the AL West.

``If we won the last game I wouldn't look at it as a winning trip just like I don't look at it as a losing trip,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``This team has learned to focus its energies into that day's game and nothing else.

``I don't expect this team to do anything but be in it down to the wire, like any championship-caliber ballclub. That's where our goals are, this is where we expected to be. It's the opportunity you hope for when you're in spring training, and we certainly have it.''

The wild-card race likely will require one team to put together a significant winning streak. Even though the Angels were only 3 1/2 games out at the start of Thursday, they were in the fifth spot in the wild-card standings, trailing Cleveland, Boston, Oakland and Toronto.

``We're still right there,'' first baseman Mo Vaughn said.

--Finley night: The Angels will honor pitcher Chuck Finley tonight for being voted onto the organization's all-time team. It will be Finley's first time back at Edison Field since he signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Indians last winter.

Finley, the Angels' all-time winningest pitcher, faced the Angels twice in Cleveland earlier this season, going 1-0 (one no-decision) with a 2.13 ERA. The Indians won both games he started.

``Going back there will be weird,'' Finley said earlier this month. ``Facing them (in Cleveland) was different, but pitching in that ballpark will be strange, especially going in from the first-base (visitors') dugout.''

Finley will start Sunday's game against Angels' starter Kent Mercker.

--Erstad returns: Left fielder Darin Erstad is expected to return to the starting lineup tonight for the first time since Saturday in New York, when he left after three innings because of a muscle strain on the left side of his rib cage.

Erstad took live batting practice for the first time Wednesday and came out of it fine.

``It feels better,'' Erstad said. ``Does it feel normal? No. It hurts to do the little things, but when I do things all out, I don't feel it.''

--Streak ends: Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa's scoreless-innings streak ended at 23 2/3 innings on Monday in Boston, the second longest scoreless-innings streak by a reliever in the majors this season. But Hasegawa, who leads the team with eight wins, has not fallen out of his groove.

``I knew about (the streak) but when you're on the mound you never think about it,'' said Hasegawa, who has filled in as the closer while Troy Percival has been out with an elbow injury. ``From the beginning of the season I felt so good. In spring training I felt good, so I knew it was going to be like this.''

Percival is expected to be activated from the disabled list today or Saturday.

ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND

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

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090 Spanish)

Matchup: Matt Wise (2-1, 3.63 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Cleveland's Dave Burba (11-5, 4.94). Wise has won his past two starts, getting victories at Toronto and New York. He had given up three runs in each of his three starts since being called up from Triple-A Edmonton. This is the only home series the Angels will play vs. Cleveland this year. The Indians won five of six at Jacobs Field.

- Joe Haakenson

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Box: Angels vs. Cleveland (see text)