ANGELS THROW AWAY A KEEPER ERROR WASTES STELLAR PITCHING EFFORT OAKLAND 1, ANGELS 0.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

OAKLAND - Some 15 minutes after Saturday's game concluded, Angels reliever Scot Shields was still in full uniform, staring at the floor in front of his locker and bearing the burden that comes with undoing nine innings of his teammate's pitching brilliance with one untimely defensive miscue.

It took eight innings and two hours for Jarrod Washburn to shut out the Oakland Athletics and match Rich Harden pitch for scintillating pitch. It took Shields just a few seconds to bobble Marco Scutaro's bunt and rush a throw that short-hopped Chone Figgins and carried into right field.

Nick Swisher chugged all the way home from first base to score the game's lone run, and the Angels were stuck with the oddest of losses, a 1-0 decision in 10 innings.

Washburn might have pitched his best game in three years. He gave up four hits and struck out seven in eight innings, albeit against an Oakland lineup that entered the game last in the American League in runs and next-to-last in batting average and on-base percentage.

But that only made it harder for Shields to swallow later.

``It's a play we work on over and over in spring training,'' Shields said. ``To lose a game like that, especially the way Wash pitched, it hurts inside. I made a bad throw. I gave Figgins no chance. The blame's all on me.''

Manager Mike Scioscia complained Scutaro was in the baseline, a claim Shields mildly corroborated.

``If I take my time on that, it's easy,'' Shields said. ``I don't even have to throw through the runner. I'm going to think about this a little bit tonight.''

Shields could analyze the game's end for days, and it still might not make sense. That the A's won a game on a bunt was odd enough; they utilize the sacrifice about as often as North Pole residents turn on their air conditioning.

Oakland bunted only 25 times all of last season. But a lineup that featured Bobby Kielty (0 for 13 this year) batting fifth needs to win any way it can.

And after Swisher singled to lead off the 10th, Scutaro pushed a perfectly placed bunt down the first base line and, according to Scioscia, crept inside the baseline.

``We didn't get the call,'' Scioscia said. ``It shielded Figgy and (Shields), but if (Shields) fields it clean, he has an angle.''

Shields never got a good grip on the ball, but had plenty of time to gather himself and throw Scutaro out. Instead, he threw over Scutaro, and Figgins, who was covering first, said he didn't see the ball until the last moment.

The ball rolled into the expansive foul ground at McAfee Coliseum. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero was late backing up.

Swisher had stopped at second and had his back turned to the play, but quickly got up to speed and rambled toward the plate as Guerrero gathered the ball and fired home.

``It seemed like as soon as I rounded third, (Mark) Kotsay was telling me to slide,'' Swisher said.

Guerrero's throw was high and the game was over.

Not that the game was a total loss. The Angels would be thrilled if this was indicative of how Washburn will pitch. He has a 2.86 ERA after three starts and mixed his pitches masterfully Saturday.

Even when a scratch infield single by Eric Byrnes and an error on third baseman Maicer Izturis put two runners on in the eighth for Eric Chavez, Washburn was up to the task.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 4 boxes

Photo:

Oakland's Nick Swisher, right, gets a high-five from teammate Mark Kotsay after scoring the winning run Saturday in the bottom of the 10th inning.

George Nikitin/Associated Press

Box:

(1) ANGELS at OAKLAND

- Gabe Lacques

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC