ANGELS WIN; WEST TIED ANGELS 7, OAKLAND 6.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - One out away from yet another thrilling, come-from-behind victory, the Angels were jolted into realizing they are not the only team having a remarkable season.

With an Edison Field crowd of 31,304 on its feet anticipating the final out, Oakland A's third baseman Eric Chavez ripped a home run that tied the game and silenced the crowd in a heartbeat.

But Scott Spiezio provided an encore, hitting a 94-mph fastball off A's closer Billy Koch for a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to score Darin Erstad and give the Angels a 7-6 victory. The win drew them even with Oakland in the American League West standings and put them seven games up on Seattle in the wild card.

The Angels had rallied from a 5-3 deficit with single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings to go ahead. Alex Ochoa homered in the seventh to tie it, and Orlando Palmeiro's pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth gave the Angels a lead.

The ninth inning, usually reserved for closer Troy Percival, instead went to Brendan Donnelly. Percival had pitched in four of the previous six games and needed a rest. Donnelly appeared up for the challenge, retiring John Mabry and Miguel Tejada to bring the Angels to the brink of a first-place tie with the A's.

But Chavez spoiled the party, albeit momentarily, with his 32nd homer of the season.

Angels starter Mickey Callaway had trouble throwing strikes in the first inning, walking two batters. It was unusual for him, because he had not walked more than two batters in any of his first three starts with the Angels and had just four walks in 19 1/3 innings.

With two on and two out, Jermaine Dye's sharp grounder got past a diving David Eckstein at shortstop and into left field for an RBI single and 1-0 lead.

The Angels got the runs back and then some off A's starter Mark Mulder in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and nobody on, Spiezio walked to get the rally started. Garret Anderson and Shawn Wooten followed with back-to-back homers to give the Angels a 3-1 lead.

Callaway took that lead into the fourth inning when his own inability to play defense cost him. With a runner on first and one out, Terrence Long hit a comebacker. Callaway fielded the ball but his throw to second pulled Eckstein off the bag for an error. Eckstein's throw to first got past Spiezio for another error, giving the A's runners on first and third.

Each of the next four hitters - Mark Ellis, Greg Myers, Ray Durham and Scott Hatteberg - produced an RBI single to give the A's a four-run inning and a 5-3 lead.

Callaway was done after 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) and six hits. It's the first time this season in 21 appearances (including 17 at Triple-A Salt Lake) Callaway has allowed more than two earned runs in a game.

With the Angels' bullpen shutting down the A's after Callaway's departure, the Angels' offense caught up. In the fifth, Benji Gil singled, took second on a balk and scored on a single by Eckstein.

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Photo:

As Angels manager Mike Scioscia looks on in the background, Shawn Wooten is congratulated by teammates after his home run in the first inning Thursday.

Chris Urso/Associated Press

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