THIS VICTORY IS ONE FOR MOSELEY TO REMEMBER ROOKIE GETS WIN IN DEBUT WITH ANGELS ANGELS 10, CLEVLAND 5.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA  Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- It was sloppy and slow and hearkened back to those marathon slugfests the American League was known for in years past.

Dustin Moseley, though, will remember the beauty of it forever as he started the Angels on the way to a 10-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians in his major-league debut.

The rookie helped the Angels to their season-high seventh consecutive victory and moved the team into second place for the first time since May 30. The Angels also are just a half-game out of first, thanks to their 12th win in their past 13 games. It is the closest they have been to first place since April 30.

The Angels are 12-1 in July, their best opening to a month since they went 13-1 in September of 2002.

It wasn't easy, and with the way the Angels' roller-coaster season has gone, why should it have been? The Angels finished with 17 hits; the Indians had 12. The game finished in a pedestrian two hours, 59 minutes.

For Moseley, it went at a different speed. If baseball had a drive- through window, Moseley was in it, as his one day in the major leagues could be further reduced to the five innings and just under two hours he pitched Monday. He didn't have a cup of coffee in the majors, it was more like a thimble of espresso.

``I'm super excited, man,'' the rookie said afterward. ``It was a great opportunity and a lot of fun out there. I'm glad the team put some runs on the board for me and the bullpen did a great job. I worked behind in the counts a lot tonight, and they took advantage of it.''

Just like that, it's all over. Moseley now heads back to Salt Lake so he can give way to Joe Saunders, who will make his 2006 debut tonight. The two youngsters were needed this week when both Jered Weaver and Kelvim Escobar had to skip starts because of arm soreness.

It might not have been the dominating type of outing Angels starters have been known for of late, but it got the job done. Angels pitchers had not surrendered a home run in six games before Moseley gave up two.

The Angels' ever-improving offense backed up Moseley to carry this victory. Maicer Izturis constantly was in the mix with the first four-hit night of his career. He scored two runs and drove in one with an eighth-inning single.

``It was a good night for it because we gave up some hits,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``We were able to get some key outs at key times in the game and offensively we just pressured them every inning.''

With all the support, the 24-year old Moseley didn't have to be so perfect. The right-hander gave up four runs on 10 hits in his five innings and allowed home runs to Travis Hafner and Jason Michaels.

``Dustin, I think he was a little too fine early and got behind in some counts,'' Scioscia said. ``What I really liked, and in talking to (pitching coach Bud Black) about it, is when (Moseley) needed to make a pitch, he did with all of his pitches, whether it was a breaking ball or a changeup or a fastball located.''

Had it been a month ago, the Angels would have been in trouble. But every time the Indians scored a run, the Angels matched it with at least that many in the bottom of the inning. It happened in the first, third, fourth and eighth innings.

Garret Anderson had a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Angels the lead they never would relinquish. Orlando Cabrera added a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Other than the speed of the major-league game, Moseley experienced one other surprise.

``It's a lot brighter,'' he said. ``Where I'm used to playing they probably have more lights in one of the poles here than they do in the whole stadium where I was playing at. Things get going really fast if you didn't slow them down.''

There was no slowing the Angels, who not only got four hits from Izturis, but had three from Vladimir Guerrero and two each from Chone Figgins, Anderson, Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales.

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Angels starting pitcher Dustin Moseley gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings Monday.

(2) Maicer Izturis rounds third base en route to scoring on a hit by Vladimir Guerrero in the first inning.

Jeff Lewis/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND

- Doug Padilla