ANGELS OUTSLUG INDIANS : IMPRESSIVE SOCK HELPS BAD PITCHING ANGELS 13, CLEVELAND 8.

Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer

With Mark Langston just off the surgeon's table and unavailable for two months, and the pitching rotation littered with such names as Springer, Sanderson and Grimsley, the Angels have obviously devised a consequent strategy:

Hack. From the heels. And for all you're worth.

As knuckleballer Dennis Springer, Langston's immediate replacement, was abused by the potent bats of the defending league-champion Cleveland Indians on Friday night, the Angels returned every cut with a hearty one of their own, and rallied from behind - three times - to take a 13-8 victory before 23,522 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

It was a wild affair - but, as with much of the baseball played this season, one sure to cause purists to wince: a combined 23 hits, six home runs, three lead changes, nine pitchers.

``I think hitting is somewhat contagious,'' said Angels designated hitter Chili Davis, who went 3 for 3 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. ``You start a rally and there's a pride factor - nobody wants to be the one to kill it, nobody wants to be the one to ground into a double play.

``You get two or three guys going, and everybody starts going.''

The Angels, indeed, spread the prosperity around evenly. On the way to a season high in runs, they collected 12 hits, and scored nine of their runs on the home runs of Tim Salmon, J.T. Snow, Jim Edmonds and Garret Anderson. It was all desperately needed as they rallied to overcome Cleveland leads of 4-0, 5-4 and 8-7.

``I think sometimes our lineup might try to make things happen instead of letting things happen,'' said Anderson, who drove in three runs. ``But some nights are just like this - everything just gets rolling.''

The offensive display was so impressive that it nearly overshadowed another episode of the nighttime soap that is the Angels' bullpen.

After Shawn Boskie (4-0) rescued Springer with six outstanding innings of relief, Lee Smith was summoned for the ninth inning.

With the Angels holding a five-run lead, it was hardly a cliffhanging situation, and there was no save at stake. It suggested that Troy Percival is the team's closer, after all.

Manager Marcel Lachemann has insisted that Smith would be his closer once he'd healed from a knee injury. But Smith faltered Wednesday night and it cost the Angels a game. The fact that Smith was called on for essentially a mop-up assignment served notice that the issue is far from settled.

Smith needed, Lachemann said, ``to get out there and pitch.'' Then the manager grew defensive: ``People forget, the other night, he gave up an unearned run. That wasn't his run. But that's neither here nor there.''

Whatever, it seemed silly to quibble over bullpen roles on a night such as this.

The Angels knew right away that they would need a busy night at the plate. Springer, in Langston's vacated slot, assured that. He faced only 10 batters, seven of whom reached base and five of whom scored. Cleveland had a 4-0 lead after half an inning.

But the Angels tied it in the bottom of the first, then rallied twice more to overcome the Indians' mounting run total. The most impressive display occurred in the fourth inning, when an 8-7 Cleveland lead dissolved into a 12-8 Angels advantage when the two-run home runs of Edmonds and Anderson were wrapped around Davis' run-scoring double.

All of this came at the expense of Albie Lopez (1-2), who came on for the Indians after starter Dennis Martinez was pounded from the game after two innings.

``People are talking about the rabbit ball,'' said Davis, ``but you've got guys out there that hitters don't fear.''

Demotion: Rookie third baseman George Arias and his .184 average were sent to Triple-A Vancouver. Damion Easley, the utility infielder who has been mending a sore right shoulder, was activated off the disabled list to replace him.

Arias' departure leaves the Angels with a Tim Wallach-Jack Howell platoon at third. Undoubtedly influencing the decision to demote Arias was the strong play of the two veterans. At the time of the demotion, they had a combined average of .310, with seven home runs and 12 RBI, and had been solid in the field.

Roster move: After the game, as expected, relief pitcher Todd Frohwirth was designated for assignment to make room for Scott Sanderson, who will be activated off the disabled list for his start tonight against the Indians.

Still waiting: Third base continues to be a black hole for the Angels. Ever since Doug DeCinces' last season of 1987, bright hope has been dashed there by, in order, Jack Howell, Gary Gaetti, Kelly Gruber, Damion Easley, Eduardo Perez and Tony Phillips. The latest casualty: George Arias.

The rookie was trying to make the jump from Double-A when he started on Opening Day, but on Friday the Angels shipped him and his .184 average to Triple-A Vancouver. Easley, the utility infielder who has been mending a sore right shoulder, was activated off the disabled list to replace him.

``The big thing is, George has to play,'' said Lachemann, who had benched Arias in five of the Angels' previous six games.