ANGELS ON WRONG END OF KNUCKLER : BOSTON 3, ANGELS 2.

Byline: Marc J. Spears / Daily News Staff Writer

The knuckleball, which has been so instrumental for Dennis Springer and the Angels this season, hit them like a knuckle sandwich Sunday afternoon.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield tamed the Angels' offense during the Boston Red Sox's 3-2 victory in front of 20,733 at Anaheim Stadium.

``We got a taste of what it's like to face a knuckleballer,'' said Angels manager Terry Collins. ``When they are on, they are tough to hit.

``They are never fun. You can see them every day and they are never fun.''

The loss dropped the Angels 2-1/2 games behind Seattle in the divisional race and kept them seven games in back of the New York Yankees for the AL wild card. Anaheim has lost seven of its last 10.

Before Sunday, the Angels had scored 37 runs (6.2 average) on the current homestand. Wakefield, however, struck out four and limited them to two runs and four hits in eight-plus innings to win his third straight start. He also held the Angels to just one hit during the last six innings.

``I just tried to stay in the game as long as I could,'' said Wakefield, who last won three in a row during a July 31-Aug. 10, 1996 span.

``It is tough to get the timing, dude,'' said Angels second baseman Tony Phillips, who is 6 for 16 with three runs scored and five RBI in his last four games. ``It is a slow pitch that you don't normally see and it is a pitch that you can't read because he doesn't even know what it is going to do.''

Collins said that the Angels tried to slow their swings and the switch-hitters stayed on their comfortable side. He didn't consider using Springer in batting practice or asking for his advice.

``Dennis can't hit a lick,'' Collins explained.

Despite the loss, the Angels received a much-needed positive outing from Ken Hill.

The right-hander has been struggling since he was traded to Anaheim from Texas on July 29 for catcher Jim Leyritz. He entered the game with a 1-2 record and a 7.33 ERA in five starts as an Angel.

Hill also hadn't won since his Angels debut on July 30 at Cleveland. In six innings, however, he struck out four, allowed three runs on seven hits and walked one.

But with Anaheim up 2-1 in the fifth, Boston's John Valentin hit Hill's split-finger fastball for a two-run game-winning homer. Valentin's 15th homer of the season extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

``I'm turning the corner, but a loss is a loss,'' Hill said. ``I didn't help the ballclub.

``I'm just trying to find my game. When I find my game, I will give this team an opportunity to win. That is something that doesn't happen overnight.''

Hill said he has been working on his delivery with pitching coach Marcel Lachemann. While viewing an old tape against Boston, Lachemann noticed that Hill was pointing his shoulder toward the plate. Recently, he was opening up too much.

The change back to his old delivery seemed to help since he lasted six innings for the first time since his Angels debut.

``You get guys like Ken Hill because they can dominate a game,'' Collins said.

``When they don't, people question it. This guy will dominate some games before this season is over.''

After walking Tim Salmon with no outs in the ninth, Wakefield was replaced by Tom Gordon. Garret Anderson, Dave Hollins and Jim Edmonds all hit balls off ``Flash'' to the warning track, but they all resulted in outs.

``The way we've seen the ball fly out of here in the daytime, I'm surprised we didn't get one of them to go,'' Collins said.

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Photo

PHOTO The Angels' Rickey Henderson can't prevent John Valentin's game-winning homer from clearing the wall in the fifth inning.

Hans Gutknecht / Daily News