COLON WORKING WAY BACK ANGELS VETERAN SOLID, BUT GETS NO DECISION VS. ARIZONA ANGELS AT ARIZONA, LATE.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

PHOENIX -- Bartolo Colon promised it would not be this way yet it has become obvious he still is working his way into top form.

The difference this time was the Angels offense supplied a little support to leave the right-hander with a no-decision.

Colon, who spent two months on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder, still was far from his Cy Young form Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He gave up four runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

On the last homestand, Colon said he was coming back to the rotation to compete and win. But in two starts since rejoining the team, the right-hander has only a defeat to show for it.

Colon allowed one walk with four strikeouts while throwing 90 pitches against the Diamondbacks. In his return last Sunday against the San Diego Padres, the right-hander gave up four runs (two earned) on nine hits in seven innings while throwing 101 pitches.

``I don't think anyone wants to see Bart throw 115 pitches right now but he's ready to pitch as deep as he did last time,'' Scioscia said before the game.

Time will tell if and when Colon can revive his game.

``We haven't seen him much this year,'' Scioscia said. ``In the spring, at times, the ball was coming out of his hand very well and at times he struggled a little bit. Last year was just an incredible year for consistency from first start to last start.

He gave us a chance to win and was the best pitcher in our league, we felt, hands down.

``Obviously he hasn't been out there long enough to evaluate that part of it, but based on what he did in his (San Diego) start, all the ingredients look like they're there and hopefully they'll come together.''

While the Angels were defeated 7-3 by the San Diego Padres in Colon's previous start, he was bailed out Saturday shortly after leaving the game.

Trailing 4-0 in the seventh inning, the Angels finally broke through against Diamondbacks starter Claudio Vargas. Maicer Izturis hit a one-out single and Adam Kennedy reached base when Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson bobbled his ground ball.

Juan Rivera, who was pinch hitting for reliever J.C. Romero, couldn't get out of the way of a Vargas fastball and was hit under the chin. Rivera had to leave the game and was replaced by pinch runner Erick Aybar.

With the bases loaded, Chone Figgins rolled a single into right field for two runs. Orlando Cabrera followed with a double to left field for two more runs to get the Angels even at 4-4.

Cabrera had extended his on-base streak to 52 games when he singled in the first inning. Mike Napoli's streak came to an end, though, when he struck out in the first inning. Napoli had reached base in 11 consecutive at-bats and was one away from Bobby Grich's team record when he went down swinging.

Napoli appeared to have tied the streak when a 3-0 pitch from Vargas was low. But home-plate umpire Mike Everitt called it a strike and he ultimately struck out.

After putting two Diamondbacks runners on base in the first inning, Colon managed to escape trouble. In the second inning, though, Orlando Hudson hit a towering two-run home run to center field, his fourth of the season.

After Colon hit Chad Tracy with a pitch in the fourth inning, Johnny Estrada hit an RBI double to give the Diamondbacks a 3-0 lead. The home-run ball got to Colon again in the fifth inning as Craig Counsell led off with a solo shot, his second.

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) The Angels' Chone Figgens, left, scores on a double by Orlando Cabrera in the seventh inning Saturday.

Roy Dabner/Associated Press

(2) ESCOBAR

Box:

ANGELS AT ARIZONA

- Doug Padilla