PERCIVAL AND ANGELS BREATHE SIGH OF RELIEF ANGELS 3, ST. LOUIS 2.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS - Troy Percival knows Jim Edmonds well. So well, the Angels closer wasn't about to challenge his friend and former teammate Thursday with the game on the line.

With a one-run lead and the potential tying run on third base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Percival walked Edmonds on four pitches. Percival got the next hitter, Tino Martinez, to pop out and allow the Angels to hold on for a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in front of 36,385 at Busch Stadium.

Many Angels called it a big victory on an emotional day at Busch, where Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck was honored with a memorial service before the game. The Angels avoided a sweep and broke their losing streak at four games.

Angels starter Scott Schoeneweis (6-5) endured the 94-degree heat to go 5 2/3 innings, getting just enough support from an offense led by leadoff hitter David Eckstein, who had three hits and scored two runs. But the game came down to the ninth with Percival, who had not pitched since June 12, left to finish it off.

Percival threw 23 fastballs in the inning and one curveball. That curve was hit sharply by Kerry Robinson leading off the inning, but second baseman Adam Kennedy made a nice play for the first out.

Edgar Renteria followed with a flyball to deep left field, the ball going over left fielder Garret Anderson's head and off the wall, and Renteria wound up with a triple.

With a chance to tie the game, Eli Marrero didn't last long against Percival. After ball one, Percival blew Marrero away with three consecutive fastballs clocked at 98-, 97- and 98- mph. That brought up Edmonds, and though it wasn't an intentional walk, Percival kept the ball off the plate far enough to put Edmonds on first base.

``I can't say I faced him right there,'' said Percival, who has 16 saves in 18 chances this season. ``I think everybody in the park knew what was going on there. I can't let a guy of his caliber beat me right there. Nothing against the next guy (Martinez), but there aren't many players like (Edmonds). I've seen him do it too many times.''

The strategy worked when Martinez popped to Kennedy at second base.

``The first thing I thought was it's miserably hot out there and if I tie this up, the players will have a mutiny,'' Percival joked. ``It was at the point where I'd rather give up a two-run homer so the guys will still be able to play tomorrow.''

Percival's teammates unanimously agreed with his strategy to pitch around Edmonds and they said they had confidence in him even after the Cardinals put the tying run on third with one out.

``We've got Troy Percival,'' Eckstein said. ``Sometimes with a runner on third he gets even better.''

The Angels might not have had to sweat this one out if they had done a better job of capitalizing on scoring opportunities earlier. Cardinals starter Bud Smith (0-5) went into the game with a 0-4 record and 8.74 ERA, and the Angels loaded the bases with nobody out in the first.

They got one run on Tim Salmon's RBI single and another on Scott Spiezio's sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead but wasted several chances the rest of the way, stranding six baserunners in scoring position.

However, they got a big run in the seventh when Eckstein scored from second on a single to center by Darin Erstad. Marrero made a strong throw from center, but Eckstein made a nice head-first slide, swiping his left hand across the plate and avoiding catcher Mike Matheny's tag.

``We've hit a little rut,'' Erstad said of the offense, which scored only seven runs in the series against the Cardinals. ``We're swinging the bats well, but we hit some balls hard right at guys. We've been so good the last six weeks, we're all trying to execute, but it hasn't been happening. But the main thing is our approach is right.''

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Scott Schoeneweis allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings in the heat of St. Louis.

Tom Gannam/Associated Press