BORDICK WIELDS A BIG BROOM : BALTIMORE 12, ANGELS 7.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Move over Dave Henderson, make room for the latest Angels killer: Mike Bordick.

For the second game in a row, Baltimore's No. 9 hitter came up with the key hit as the Orioles swept the Angels in the three-game series at Camden Yards.

Bordick, whose two-run homer off Troy Percival keyed a ninth-inning rally Saturday, hit a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single off Pep Harris in the seventh inning Sunday to give the Orioles a three-run lead on the way to a 12-7 victory before 48,013.

Despite the loss, the Angels held on to their one-game lead in the AL West, because Texas also lost, 10-5 to Tampa Bay.

After the game, the Angels insisted there was no time for feeling sorry for themselves. Even though they were swept, they still hold first place with 14 to play.

``If you want to look at a positive thing, yeah, that's about as positive as you can get,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``We're fortunate. You don't worry about (being swept). We're still in first place. That's what I told them. Forget about the last three days.''

``You're not going to find anybody at their locker crying,'' pitcher Chuck Finley said. ``If you're looking into your locker trying to find answers, you're not going to find it there. It's out on the field. There isn't a player in here who doesn't know what's at stake here.''

There's not much at stake for the Orioles, who, despite lofty expectations and the major leagues' highest payroll, struggled early in the season and couldn't make up the ground. But they still have one of the most feared lineups in the league, right down to their No. 9 hitter, Bordick.

Bordick's hit Sunday was a crusher for the Angels because it essentially nullified their rally from a 7-1 deficit. The Angels scored three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game at 7. But in the bottom of the seventh, the Orioles took an 8-7 lead on Rafael Palmeiro's RBI double off Jarrod Washburn (5-3).

The Orioles still had runners on second and third with nobody out and threatened to score more when Harris came in. He nearly escaped. Harris got Cal Ripken on a groundout and intentionally walked B.J. Surhoff to load the bases, then struck out Chris Hoiles for the second out.

Bordick, though, jumped on Harris' first pitch and lined a single to left field, scoring two runs and breaking the Angels' spirit.

``All year he has (hurt us),'' Collins said. ``When you face guys like Bordick and can't get him out, you wonder how anybody else does. You throw good pitches and he fouls 'em off. You make a mistake and he hits it.''

Angels starter Jack McDowell put the Angels in a big hole to begin with, giving up six runs (five earned) and five hits in 2-1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. McDowell gave up all six runs in the third inning as the Orioles took a 6-1 lead.

And now it's on to Tampa Bay, an expansion team, but one that just beat Texas two of three.

``There's no relief,'' shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. ``We're in a pennant race and we don't have many games left. We've still got a one-game lead. We're fighting for our lives out there.''

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Photo

PHOTO Jack McDowell hands the ball to Angels manager Terry Collins after giving up six runs in 2-1/3 innings. The bullpen didn't fare much better.

Nick Wass/Associated Press