ANGELS SAY, `WOOT, THERE IT IS' WOOTEN REWARDS TRUST WITH LONE RBI ANGELS 1, SEATTLE 0.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

SEATTLE - It was an 11-game stretch of schedule that figured to make or break the Angels' season, with history installing ``break'' as a heavy favorite.

After eight Angels victories in 11 games over the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners, maybe history is due for a rewrite.

The Angels' run of success continued Sunday afternoon at Safeco Field, where they claimed a 1-0 victory over Seattle in a game several participants said felt like a postseason matchup.

October, of course, is two months away. And even though the Angels (62-41) edged ahead of Seattle (63-42) by percentage points in the American League West, the big picture says it's all meaningless until the final two weeks of September, when these teams meet in six of the last nine regular-season games of the year.

But the value of five victories in six games against Seattle can't be underestimated, especially given Anaheim's 6-21 mark against the Mariners entering this month. Sunday, they proved they could win a low-scoring game on the road, on a day when soft-tossing Mariners left- hander Jamie Moyer befuddled them for eight shutout innings.

Kevin Appier matched Moyer zero for zero to give the Angels a chance to win, which they did on Shawn Wooten's ninth-inning sacrifice fly off Kazuhiro Sasaki.

Troy Percival, making his first appearance since July 11, closed the game with a perfect ninth as the Angels bid farewell to their divisional rivals until Sept. 9.

Their recent 8-3 run was a far cry from the 3-11 mark they posted against Oakland and Seattle in April. To say they can use the mental boost is an understatement.

``These last (four) series have had that playoff-type deal,'' said Appier, the Antelope Valley product who gave up four hits in eight shutout innings. ``That gives us more confidence, especially with the way we played against the West at the start of the season. We have confidence now and high morale.

``But you don't want to get too high. It's July. This thing could go anywhere.''

On a crisp 62-degree day, Appier (9-8) and Moyer responded to the big-game atmosphere.

Through seven innings, each team advanced just one baserunner to second base. Of the five combined hits to that point, only one - Carlos Guillen's broken-bat blooper off Appier in the fifth - reached the outfield. Appier, who posted his fourth consecutive quality start, said his pitch location was as good as it's been all season.

Meanwhile, the Angels flailed away at Moyer's assortment of off-speed offerings.

Moyer struck out six, most of them coming on pitches that didn't break 80 mph on the radar gun. The Angels did manage to get the go-ahead run to third with two outs in the eighth, but Darin Erstad popped out.

Moyer had thrown only 87 pitches, but Seattle manager Lou Piniella lifted him for Sasaki in the ninth. The Angels reacted like they'd been issued a pardon.

Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson led off with singles, and they moved up a base on a wild pitch. Sasaki struck out the slumping Troy Glaus on a full count, bringing up Wooten.

Given manager Mike Scioscia's affinity for matching up left-handers against right-handers, it figured he might opt for left-handed-hitting Brad Fullmer off the bench. But Piniella could have countered with lefty Arthur Rhodes, so Scioscia stuck with Wooten.

``I was waiting to see what was going to happen,'' Wooten said. ``I looked in the dugout and they said, `You're up.' I'm glad he had confidence in me in that situation.''

Wooten didn't disappoint, driving a 1-1 pitch into deep center field. Mike Cameron caught the ball, but Salmon tagged up and scored the game's only run.

Percival, activated from the disabled list Saturday after recovering from an infected abrasion on his left foot, completed the Angels' second shutout in as many days. It was their ninth of the season; they had just one all of 2001.

It's that sort of pitching that leads the Angels to believe they will win more games like Sunday's.

``I think we're prepared for tight games and we have the talent on this team, especially the pitching, that allows us to win tight games,'' Scioscia said. ``This was a good ballgame because of the way (Appier) stepped up in difficult circumstances.''

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Photo:

Shawn Wooten hits a sacrifice fly off Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki to drive in Tim Salmon for the winning run in the ninth inning in Seattle.

John Froschauer/Associated Press