ERSTAD: AN EMBARRASSMENT ANGELS BEMOAN THEIR MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ONCE AGAIN KANSAS CITY 2, ANGELS 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - While most of the Angels blamed their 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals on a bad call in the ninth inning by first-base umpire C.B. Bucknor, an emotional Darin Erstad placed the blame squarely on himself.

Erstad went 0 for 5 Thursday night, personally stranding 10 baserunners. He batted four times with runners in scoring position and drove in zero before 12,159 at Kauffman Stadium.

``That was the worst performance in my life, in any sport,'' he said. ``That was embarrassing. I let the team down. I don't know how to put it in words, I can't.

``Yeah, it hurts. This game couldn't come at a worse time. By far it's the worst individual performance of my life, hands down. I'll turn the page (today) but right now this one stings. I'm not a quitter and I'll fight this thing until I'm not breathing anymore.''

The loss left the Angels gasping for air in the American League wild-card race. With Oakland winning again the Angels fell nine games out with only 28 to play.

The three-game sweep at the hands of the Royals marked the first time they've been swept since Seattle took three June 29-July 1. It was the fifth time the Angels have been swept this season.

The Angels, though, didn't go without an argument in this one. With the score tied at 1 in the bottom of the ninth, Angels reliever Al Levine walked two batters with one out. But he got the groundball he needed when Mark Quinn hit a grounder to Benji Gil at shortstop.

Gil flipped to second baseman Adam Kennedy, who made the pivot and threw to Scott Spiezio for what appeared to be an inning-ending double play. Only Bucknor didn't see it that way.

Bucknor called Quinn safe even though replays clearly showed the throw beat him. Angels manager Mike Scioscia came out to argue, but he wasn't as upset as Levine, who had to be restrained by teammates.

The Angels wasted another strong outing by starter Jarrod Washburn, who gave up one run and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.41. They stranded 11 baserunners in all, going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position against starter Chad Durbin and reliever Jason Grimsley (1-5). Troy Glaus' 35th homer of the year in the sixth accounted for the Angels' only run.

In his five at-bats, Erstad got the ball out of the infield only once, and that came when he popped out to shallow left field with runners on first and third and one out in the third inning. He ended an inning in his final three at-bats, grounding out to second each time.

Scioscia, though, wouldn't blame Erstad for the loss.

``It's not one guy that is keeping our offense stuck in the mud,'' he said. ``And it isn't one guy who is going to get us out of it. The whole lineup has to make a contribution.''

--Valdes adjusts: Ismael Valdes has fallen into a rut in recent starts but hopes a mechanical adjustment he made while working out in the bullpen will make a difference tonight.

Valdes, who will pitch in the Metrodome for the first time in his career, has given up 11 runs in eight innings in his past two starts. But the slump goes back to three starts ago, when he gave up only one run in seven innings to the Tigers, but allowed 11 hits in the process.

``A lot of times a pitcher can feel fine physically but he just doesn't feel the same life in his body,'' pitching coach Bud Black said. ``When that happens you try to compensate for it by trying to do too much, and you exert too much energy. As a pitcher, when you do that your command suffers.''

That's what has happened with Valdes, who relies heavily on his command and has won only once in his past six starts.

``There are certain times of the year where you're going to have one thing or another,'' Valdes said. ``It's just part of the game, part of the season. You don't ever want to go bad, but I know my stuff will come back sooner or later. In the meantime you have to get hitters out any way you can.''

--Rapp wrapped: Pitcher Pat Rapp's right forearm was wrapped in a bandage one day after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Mike Sweeney. Rapp was diagnosed with a deep bruise and will have his turn in the rotation skipped next week because of Monday's off day.

ANGELS vs. MINNESOTA

Time: 5:05 p.m., at the Metrodome

Television/Radio: No TV; 570-AM, 1090-AM (Spanish)

Matchup: Ismael Valdes (8-8, 4.03 ERA) will start for the Angels against Minnesota's Brad Radke (11-8, 4.04). The three-game series in Minnesota marks the Angels' only visit here this season. Earlier this year the Twins took two of three from the Angels in Anaheim.

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Angels left-hander Jarrod Washburn was denied after another strong effort when his team's offense stalled in Kansas City.

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Box: ANGELS vs. MINNESOTA (see text)