SPIEZIO'S BLAST WINS IT IN NINTH ANGELS RALLY FOR FOUR RUNS TO BEAT TIGERS ANGELS 5, DETROIT 4.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Scott Spiezio figured to be one of the Angels' bench players to lose at-bats to newly acquired Ron Gant.

But Spiezio made his one at-bat count Monday night, smacking an 0-1 pitch from Detroit Tigers closer Todd Jones over the fence in right field for a three-run homer, giving the Angels a dramatic 5-4 win before 16,797 at Edison Field.

Spiezio's homer capped a four-run rally in the ninth inning, spoiling the performance of Tigers starter Jeff Weaver, a former Simi Valley High standout, who had a career-high 12 strikeouts.

Weaver's 12th strikeout, though, came at a cost. With Mo Vaughn fouling off eight pitches, it took Weaver 10 pitches before finally getting the strikeout to end the eighth. It brought his pitch count up to 120, spelling the end of the night for him.

In came Jones to pitch the ninth, and the Angels took advantage. Tim Salmon led off the inning with his fourth hit of the night, a solo homer that cut the Tigers' lead to 4-2. Garret Anderson followed with a walk and Troy Glaus struck out. Gant, who finished the night 0 for 3, walked, but Matt Walbeck hit into a force play for the second out.

With Anderson on third and pinch-runner Edgard Clemente on first, Spiezio ripped a fastball from Jones into the first row of seats above the scoreboard fence for the homer, the first pinch-hit homer for the Angels this season.

As a team, the Angels had only three RBI from their pinch hitters all season before Spiezio's game-winner.

It was a dramatic turn of events after the way Weaver quieted the crowd and the Angels' bats for eight innings. Weaver gave up one run, five hits and walked only one.

Three of the five hits off Weaver were singles by Salmon, including an RBI single in the fourth.

Gant, acquired from the Phillies for pitcher Kent Bottenfield on Sunday, got a chance to make an immediate impact. After flying out in his first at-bat, Gant came to the plate in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and two out in a 1-1 tie.

But Weaver made quick work of Gant, striking him out on three pitches, including blowing a fastball past him for strike-three.

Meanwhile, the Tigers kept plugging away and finally got through against Angels' starter Scott Schoeneweis (5-6). Schoeneweis, who hasn't won since May 25, through three scoreless innings before Juan Gonzalez led off the fourth with a home run. In the fifth, Juan Encarnacion led off with a double and took third and Shane Halter's fly ball to right. Salmon made a strong throw from right, but it deflected off Encarnacion and got past Schoeneweis backing up the play. The ball went into the photographers' well, allowing Encarnacion to score.

Encarnacion got to Schoeneweis again in the seventh with a two-run homer, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

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Photo: Detroit's Brad Ausmus steals second Monday as Angels shortstop Kevin Stocket gathers in the ball. Anaheim rallied for four in the ninth to win 5-4. John Hayes/Associated Press