ANGELS START TO FIGURE IT OUT ECKSTEIN'S SLAM BAILS OUT SELE ANGELS 11, TORONTO 4.

Byline: Dave Werstine Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Angels might finally be spreading their wings.

After winning just six of their first 20 games, the Angels figured it was just a matter of time until things got on track.

Maybe that time is now. They won their third consecutive game for the first time this season, using Aaron Sele's pitching and David Eckstein's grand slam to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-4 on Saturday night in front of 29,112 at Edison Field.

``We are doing some things that are working, and that's nice to see,'' said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who has seen his team score 25 runs over the win streak. ``We are making strides forward.''

Except that the Angels remain 8 1/2 games behind front-running Seattle and just a game ahead of last-place Texas in the AL West. But if they continue to get increasingly better pitching from Sele and run production throughout the lineup as they did Saturday, that deficit certainly is bound to shrink.

``With our pitching staff, particularly our starters, keeping us in games, and if we keep getting early runs, we could put together some good streaks,'' Scioscia said.

Sele, who came into the game winless with a 6.65 ERA in his four previous starts, put together his best start of the year, but the Angels' defense made it tough for him with a pair of key errors.

Angels third baseman Troy Glaus' fielding error on a possible inning-ending double-play ball by Raul Mondesi opened the gates to a three-run first inning for Toronto. And after the Angels recovered from that to take a 4-3 lead, second baseman Adam Kennedy dropped the ball trying to complete another would-be inning-ending double play in the fifth, allowing Dave Berg to score and the Blue Jays to tie it.

Despite the hard luck, Sele (1-2) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs - although only one was earned.

``There's no pressure. This is my fourth team, so it's not a big deal,'' Sele said. ``You just keep going out there, try to execute quality pitches and keep your team in the game.''

Glaus did his best to make amends for his miscue, going 3 for 5 with three RBI and two runs scored. One of the hottest Angels with hits in seven of his past eight games, Glaus had a two-run single in the first to trim Toronto's lead to 3-2, then added a single and a run scored in the fourth and an RBI single and a run in the fifth.

The Angels chased Toronto starter Justin Miller in the fourth, when they scored a pair of runs to take a 4-3 lead. But it wasn't until the fifth inning that the Angels really did their damage.

The Angels sent 10 batters to face Blue Jays relievers Pedro Borbon (1-1) and Scott Cassidy and scored a season-high seven runs - highlighted by Eckstein's first career grand slam - in the decisive fifth.

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Photo:

Angels catcher Bengie Molina, left, comes up with a throw too late to tag Blue Jays' Jose Cruz Jr., who scores on Darrin Fletcher's double.

John Hayes/Associated Press