Angels' Escobar keeps Twins bats muzzled

Scott Baker struggles in fourth start and gets little offensive support.

By La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune

Last update: June 6, 2007 - 12:50 AM

ANAHEIM, CALIF. - The Angels get a runner to first. Suddenly, that runner is on second. Soon, there goes the ERA.

Twins righthander Scott Baker executed most of the pitches he wanted Tuesday, but watched several drop in --and a couple others got laced.

In a 5-1 loss on Tuesday, the Twins couldn't pitch to the Angels, throw out the Angels or sustain anything against a team that's smoking hot. The Twins have lost four consecutive games and need an ace-like outing from rookie Kevin Slowey today to avoid getting swept.

A few Twins had that run over and run down look in their eyes after this one.

"[The Angels] are putting the bat on the ball, they are making contact and they are falling in," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Right now they are doing everything right. It's tough to combat that. If you make a mistake in the zone they hit it hard; you make a good pitch, they are flipping it in the outfield."

The Angels have the most victories in the majors at 38 and are 24-8 at home.

Baker gave up five runs on eight hits, including a solo homer by Casey Kotchman, before Matt Guerrier replaced him with two outs in the sixth.

In the end, Baker was anything but a dominant pitcher on a team that has been dominated for most of this road trip. Angels righthander Kelvim Escobar threw his second complete game of the season, as he held the Twins to three hits and one run, a Torii Hunter homer in the fifth. Opposing starters have a 1.18 ERA against the Twins during the West Coast trip and Twins hitters are batting .199 over the past five games.

Baker is 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA in four starts since being called up from Class AAA Rochester on May 19. Since a dominant 81/3 inning outing that day against Milwaukee, Baker has posted a 9.00 ERA.

A leadoff walk to Reggie Willits in the first turned into a run when he scored from third on a double-play ball. In the third inning, Willits reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third on a fly out and scored on a line-drive single by Vladimir Guerrero.

Baker dusted Orlando Cabrera in the fifth but the Angels shortstop delivered an RBI single. Baker was chased by Kotchman's home run and two subsequent singles.

The Twins offense didn't help much, looking feeble for the fifth consecutive game. Opposing starters have posted a 1.24 ERA against the Twins during that time.

That lack of offense gave Baker little room for error.

There's still time for Baker to prove the club was wise in drafting him in the second round in 2003 out of Oklahoma State. But he's got to keep his pitches down.

"Those things are improvements," Gardenhire said. "You have to keep working on it and doing it out on the mound."

La Velle E. Neal III • lneal@startribune.com