Patience running low on Santana

ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Ervin Santana does not appear to be on the verge of a demotion to triple-A Salt Lake, but the Angels’ patience with the 24-year-old right-hander seems to be wearing thin.

Santana gave up six runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in six innings during Sunday’s 7-6 loss to the Texas Rangers, and all three of the homers he gave up, a two-run shot to Ian Kinsler in the third inning, a solo shot by Hank Blalock in the fourth and a two-run shot to Brad Wilkerson in the sixth, allowed Texas to tie the score.

Santana has been a Cy Young Award-caliber pitcher at home since his 2005 call-up to the big leagues, going 21-6 with a 3.04 earned-run average in Angel Stadium, but he is 9-15 with a 6.69 ERA in 30 road starts, including an 0-4 road record and 7.86 ERA this season.

“Once he got into his flow and got his delivery together, he made some terrific pitches out there,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “But in between, there was a lot of inconsistency. He has to find an ability to repeat pitches and throw the ball with more consistency. He has a terrific arm, and he’s just been searching.”

If the Angels were to demote Santana, they have two viable options in left-hander Joe Saunders, who went 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three starts before being sent to Salt Lake, and right-hander Dustin Moseley, who is 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA and is now pitching out of the Angels’ bullpen.

“He’s made progress in his bullpens, he just hasn’t been able to carry it into a game yet,” Scioscia said of Santana.

“I think he and Mike [Butcher, Angels pitching coach] have an understanding of what needs to get done. He has to go a little harder, be more aggressive and effective early in the game to set a tone. Today, he started making mistakes against a club that can drive the ball and hit home runs.”

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Scioscia said reliever Justin Speier, on the disabled list because of a non-baseball related condition, has been throwing, “but we’re still not sure when he’ll be ready to come back,” he said.

Speier said he was suffering from flu-like symptoms, and there is concern he might have some kind of viral syndrome, like the one that sidelined first baseman Casey Kotchman for all but 29 games last season.

If that’s the case, would it be possible, because Speier doesn’t play every day and rarely pitches more than one inning in a game, for the right-hander to manage his condition and remain effective?

“We hope so,” Scioscia said. “Right now, he needs to re-charge.”

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With a pair of two-run home runs Sunday, Gary Matthews Jr. became the first Angel to homer from both sides of the plate in a game since Jeff DaVanon accomplished the feat on June 4, 2003, against the Montreal Expos in Puerto Rico.... First baseman Mark Teixeira played in his 483rd consecutive game Sunday, breaking the Rangers’ record set by Alex Rodriguez, who played in 482 consecutive games from July 25, 2000 to Sept. 23, 2003.... Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick, out since April 18 because of a broken bone in his left hand, could return during next week’s trip to Detroit and New York.

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