Wednesday, June 12, 2002
Pirates 7, Angels 3
The Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Pokey Reese and the Pittsburgh Pirates are both trying to bounce back from a miserable 2001 season. Reese tied a career high with four RBIs, including a three-run double, and Kevin Young homered as the Pirates beat the Anaheim Angels 7-3 Tuesday night for their fourth victory in five games.
Reese, who had only six RBIs in his previous 89 at-bats after coming off the disabled list May 5, signed with the Pirates in January as a free agent after five seasons with the Cincinnati Reds.
The two-time Gold Glove second baseman joined a team that tied Tampa Bay for the worst record in the majors last year, lost 100 games for only the seventh time in the franchise's 115-year history and posted its ninth straight losing season. But Reese is convinced there are better times ahead for himself and the Pirates.
“They lost 100 games, but I wasn't a part of that. So I wasn't looking at it that way,” Reese said. “I mean, that was last year. It's a new year. I just came in this year hoping to help the team any way I possibly can.”
Reese, who hit a game-winning homer Sunday against Milwaukee, went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in the fourth inning and a three-run double in the eighth. He has 17 RBIs this season in 38 games after driving in just 40 runs and hitting .244 last year.
“I certainly expected Pokey to be better than he was last year,” Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He's battled some injuries and he hasn't spent any consistent amount of time on the field to really find a groove. Hopefully, we can keep him out there and keep him healthy so that he can find some rhythm and timing.”
Rookie Josh Fogg (7-4) allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1-3 innings in his 13th career start, including back-to-back homers by Brad Fullmer and Scott Spiezio to open the seventh. The right-hander walked two and struck out one.
“I had pretty good stuff tonight, but every time I made a mistake, they hit it,” Fogg said. “That team's real hot right now, so the less mistakes you make to them, the better off you're going to be. But when you can get three runs early on, like we did tonight, it makes pitching a little earlier.”
Pittsburgh led 3-0 with none out in the Angels fourth when Craig Wilson ran back to the short fence in the right-field corner and got there just in time to reach over and grab Fullmer's bid for a two-run homer.
But the Angels' designated hitter homered his next time up over the 18-foot wall in right, and Spiezio followed with a home run into the same area, narrowing the gap to 4-3.
The Angels' rally fell short, however, and they missed a chance to tie Seattle for first place in the AL West. The loss was only their 11th in the last 42 games.
“It's early and we're in great position,” losing pitcher Kevin Appier said. “It would have been nice to pick up this game, but it's certainly not a stressful factor at this time of the year.”
Appier (5-5) dropped his fourth straight decision after going 5-0 in his previous seven starts. The right-hander, who complained of stiffness in his forearm after his last start, was charged with four runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings.
“I thought Ape was working hard out there, but I don't think his stuff was quite as crisp as we've seen it,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “There were no noticeable effects from his last outing, but it was tough for him to get pitches exactly where he wanted them.”
Appier hit Aramis Ramirez on the arm with a pitch leading off the Pittsburgh second. One out later, Young drove a 1-2 pitch into the left-field bullpen for his sixth homer. It was only the 47th home run this season by the Pirates, who have the fewest in the NL.
The Pirates added a run in the fourth on two-out doubles to left-center by Rob Mackowiak and Reese, who was 0-for-8 lifetime against Appier before singling his first time up.
Wilson, who struck out his first two times up, chased Appier with a two-out RBI single in the fifth that extended Pittsburgh's lead to 4-0.
Lou Pote relieved Appier and retired his first seven batters before giving up a leadoff walk to Ramirez and a single by Wilson in the eighth. Donne Wall came on and turned Young's bunt into a force at third, but two runners eventually advanced on a wild pitch.
Mackowiak was intentionally walked, and Reese hit a 1-1 pitch off the left-field fence to drive in Pittsburgh's final three runs.
Notes: Anaheim's Bengie Molina signaled for a pitchout in the first inning and came out of his crouch, but Jack Wilson reached out and flied out to right with Chad Hermansen running on the pitch. ... Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall is the toughest batter to strike out in the majors, fanning only seven times in 226 plate appearances. Molina and teammate David Eckstein are among the top five in the AL. ... Fogg and Eckstein were teammates with the Florida Gators when they went to the College World Series in 1996 and finished third.
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Pirates 7, Angels 3 
