ROOKIE HIT HARD IN DEBUT INDIANS CYCLE IN 1ST, PEDAL PAST SANTANA CLEVELAND 13, ANGELS 5.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

CLEVELAND - It's a distinction equally unique and dubious in the annals of major-league history.

Highly regarded pitching prospect Ervin Santana made his major-league debut Tuesday for the Angels against the Cleveland Indians, and four batters into the game, the Indians had hit for the cycle.

Things got better from there for Santana - could it get much worse? - but the tone of the evening had been set as the Indians cruised to a 13-5 victory in front of 15,033 at Jacobs Field.

Grady Sizemore led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple, then scored on a double by Coco Crisp (Pierce College), who would have had a triple had he not overslid third base and been tagged out. Travis Hafner followed with a single, before Ben Broussard cleared the fence in right field for a two-run homer, completing the cycle.

Santana settled down and pitched a scoreless second, but gave up another run in the third inning and a two-run homer to Hafner in the fourth.

Santana, called up from Double-A Arkansas to start in place of injured Kelvim Escobar, made 92 pitches in four innings, allowed six runs and eight hits.

``Today, everything was up,'' said Santana, who will get another start next week, likely against the White Sox. ``I didn't pitch to my spots. Everything was in the middle.''

Santana said he ``was waiting for this day,'' and was not intimidated pitching in the big leagues.

``I was ready,'' he said. ``I was a little too fast to the plate (mechanically). After the first inning, I made my adjustment. Everything was good.''

The Angels actually had some offense of their own, getting a season-high 15 hits. Chone Figgins had three hits, and Dallas McPherson, Darin Erstad and Bengie Molina each had two. The Angels trailed 3-2 in the top of the third, but the Indians poured it on even after Santana was through, scoring seven runs on 11 hits against the Angels bullpen and finishing with a season-high 19 hits.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Santana, 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA at Double-A Arkansas, needs to approach the game as though he's still pitching in the Texas League.

``Once he realizes the game is the same, he's going to be a heckuva pitcher,'' Scioscia said. ``I think it was anything but nerves; he might have been pumped up too much. He couldn't hit his spots. By the time he started to pitch, the damage was done.''

Despite the end result, the Angels are encouraged about the 22-year-old Santana's future.

``This kid's going to be exciting to watch,'' Molina said. ``Once he gets the feel of the big leagues and gets his feet wet, he's going to be good.

``He learned something tonight. He can't leave the ball over the middle of the plate and he's got to change speeds. You've got to have your `A' game.''

Scioscia agreed.

``Although we hoped for a good outing, as he takes this experience with him he'll move forward,'' Scioscia said. ``I think he's disappointed in the results but I don't think there's anything that isn't positive pitching in your first major-league game.''

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 5 boxes

Photo:

(1) Angels rookie Ervin Santana lasts just four innings in his major-league debut Tuesday.

Mark Duncan/Associated Press

(2 -- color) no caption (Ervin Santana)

Box:

(1) ANGELS at CLEVELAND

- Joe Haakenson

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) BABY STEPS

(5) ANGELS ALMANAC