ANGELS RALLY, BEAT INDIANS : MCDOWELL LOSES 6-RUN CUSHION ANGELS 8, CLEVELAND 7.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer

Not lost among a combined 15 runs and 25 hits, much of which happened in the second inning, was that the newcomers to the Angels bullpen kept the team in the game Wednesday night.

After starter Jason Grimsley gave up six runs in 1-2/3 innings, Greg Gohr and Pep Harris allowed only one run in 6-1/3 innings, setting up Troy Percival for his 29th save in the Angels' 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians at Anaheim Stadium.

``He (Harris) gave us a tremendous lift; Gohr, too,'' said Angels manager John McNamara. ``They pitched outstanding in pressure situations.''

Cleveland got runners into scoring position from the third through the eighth innings, but just one run came across in the sixth. The Indians left 12 runners on base in the game.

Percival preserved the Angels' second straight win and their first series win since taking two of three from Milwaukee on July 26-28.

Cleveland starter Jack McDowell (10-7), meanwhile, came off the disabled list Aug. 9 and beat Oakland. He came into Wednesday's game with the best road ERA (3.05) in the league.

So much for that. McDowell gave up seven runs (six earned) and eight hits in 2-1/3 innings. He couldn't hold a 6-0 lead as the Angels scored four times in the second and third innings.

Gohr (5-8) picked up his first Angels victory since coming over from Detroit on July 31 in the trade that sent Damion Easley to the Tigers.

``I was in and out of trouble the whole time, but I was fortunate to make some good pitches,'' Gohr said. ``It's a good atmosphere here. All the losing in Detroit starts to wear on you.''

In his Angels debut on Aug. 1, Gohr gave up five earned runs and three hits to his former team, Detroit, where he was 4-8 with a 7.17 ERA.

Wednesday's performance was more like what the Angels wanted to see. After failing to hold the two runners that were on base when he came in, Gohr allowed Cleveland runners into scoring position in the third through fifth before turning the Indians away each time.

When he gave up a run in the sixth, he gave way to Mike Holtz, who walked the only batter he faced. In came Harris, making his major-league debut as the man called up from Triple-A Vancouver to replace Jim Abbott on the roster.

He said before the game he was tired from traveling Wednesday morning. Still, he received a major-league welcome to the big leagues: runners on first and second, a one-run lead and Mark Carreon at the plate.

Carreon swung at the first pitch and hit a hard ground ball to third, which George Arias grabbed by diving to his left. He forced Jeromy Burnitz at second to end the inning.

``I came out and put the ball in play,'' Harris said. ``Fortunately, George came over and made the play. Defense wins games.

``Arias made a hell of a play with two outs,'' McNamara said.

In the seventh, Harris gave up a leadoff double to Jose Vizcaino and was put into a jam when Tim Salmon dropped pinch hitter Brian Giles' fly ball for an error. With runners on the corners, Harris struck out Kenny Lofton and got Omar Vizquel and Jim Thome on fly balls.

A walk and a wild pitch put Burnitz on second in the eighth, but Harris struck out Carreon, setting the stage for Percival.

Grimsley, who has struggled lately, pitched a perfect first inning but unraveled in the second, when Cleveland sent 11 batters to the plate.

Included in the mess: two-run doubles, two walks, a hit batsman, a wild pitch and two throws that, while not errant, hurt nonetheless.

The big hits in the Angels' second were two-run singles by Arias and Jim Edmonds. California continued its success in the third when J.T. Snow's grounder scored Chili Davis, who had singled and gone to third on Garret Anderson's double.

McDowell was gone after he walked Gary DiSarcina, and Kent Mercker came in and gave up a single to Jorge Fabregas that tied the score at 6-6.

Julian Tavarez got Arias to fly out, but Randy Velarde doubled in two to give the Angels the lead.