ANGELS TIED IN ELEVENTH.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

Last week we found out how the Angels play when they're behind.

Monday we found out how they play when they're ahead: not very well.

Unless, of course, you think blowing two leads (including a five-run advantage) with the help of two errors committed during the same inning by the starting shortstop, and seeing the bullpen falter are good things.

That's what the Angels did Monday at Anaheim Stadium. But after Chicago right fielder Danny Tartabull hit a home run in the 10th inning to give the White Sox a one-run lead, the Angels tied it up in the bottom half of the 10th on Don Slaught's RBI single. The game was tied 8-8 heading into the 11th before 17,836 fans.

The White Sox battled back from 6-1 and 7-5 deficits before going ahead on Tartabull's home run to center field off Rich Monteleone.

It was the first hit by Tartabull in 10 at-bats this road trip and the second home run hit off an Angels reliever in the game.

A home run by rookie Darin Erstad, the first of his career, helped the Angels take a commanding five-run lead, but apparently they forgot how to protect advantages after their streak of seven straight come-from-behind wins that ended Sunday.

Right-hander Shawn Boskie was in command until the seventh, but DiSarcina botched two fielding chances that would have gotten the Angels out of the inning.

Instead, ex-Angel Tony Phillips came to the plate and hit a three-run home run that pulled them to within one.

Designated hitter Chili Davis gave the Angels some breathing room with a solo home run in the seventh, but in the next inning the White Sox tied it when Robin Ventura hit a two-run home run off reliever Mike James.

The Angels had a chance to win the game in the ninth. With two outs, Davis walked and J.T. Snow singled to right-center field, with pinch-runner Orlando Palmeiro taking third. Tim Wallach, however, flied out to right field to end the inning.

A bright spot for the Angels was Erstad, who just a few day ago looked helpless at the plate.

Offer him a changeup and he would swing at it like it was a Nolan Ryan fastball.

Toss him a curve and watch how easily it would duck under his massive cut for a strike.

After his first three major-league games his numbers were embarrassing: 1 for 11 with five strikeouts.

Then came his fourth game, in which it all came together so suddenly for him.

Erstad, no longer looking overmatched at the plate, showed why the Angels made him the No. 1 pick overall in the June 1995 draft and didn't hesitate to call him up from the minor leagues last week, going 3 for 4 with his first career home run.

DiSarcina had three hits and two RBI and scored two runs, Davis provided breathing room with a solo home run in the seventh that gave the Angels a 7-5 lead, and Boskie gave the Angels 6-2/3 strong innings, but Erstad was clearly the team's star.

His third-inning home run erased a 1-0 White Sox lead, he added a third RBI with a single in the fourth, scored twice and, for good measure, stole his first base.

Not bad, especially for a guy who had resembled a weekend hack at a local batting cage during his first three games.

None of his hits were cheap. His base hit in the first and in the fourth were both sharply hit.

Boskie overcame a shaky first inning, when consecutive singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly allowed Toronto to take a 1-0 lead. But he settled down to retired 14 straight batters before Phillips led off the sixth with a single.

He then needed to rely on the Angels' bullpen after the usually reliable DiSarcina made two errors in the sixth that led to three unearned runs, all coming on Phillips' seventh home run.

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead when Dave Martinez came home on Robin Ventura's sacrifice fly to left in the first inning.

After Erstad's blast gave the Angels a one-run lead, they erupted for four runs in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.

After DiSarcina doubled in two runs, he scored on Erstad's base hit up the middle. Erstad stole second and scored on Garret Anderson's single to finish the rally.

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Photo

Photo: Angels rookie Darin Erstad doubles home a run in the fourth.

Associated Press