A Special Night for Angels, 3-2 : Baseball: Van Burkleo, Butcher and Myers have a magic moment during comeback victory over the Royals.

Angel first baseman Ty Van Burkleo held the ball in the sweaty palm of his hand Tuesday night, thinking back to all of those years of frustration, believing now it was worth every moment.

Reliever Mike Butcher grabbed his ballpoint pen, calmly scribbled “No. 4” on his own baseball, wondering if perhaps the Kansas City Royals are thinking now that they made a mistake.

Catcher Greg Myers, trying to prove to the Angels that he belongs in their plans for next year, was unable to retrieve his souvenir, the baseball last seen clearing the right field fence in the eighth inning for a two-run homer in the Angels’ 3-2 comeback victory over Kansas City before 19,895 at Anaheim Stadium.

“I’ve waited a long, long time for this day,” said Van Burkleo, 29, whose eighth-inning leadoff double was the first hit of his major league career. “I’ve been dreaming about this, I don’t know, it seems like for 24 years.

“I still can’t describe it, I’m kind of in a daze.”

Van Burkleo, who refused to give up his dream after spending the last 11 years in the minor leagues and Japan, doubled against Stan Belinda into the right field corner. Then, panic set in. He stood at second, wondering if anyone realized that it was his first major league hit. Finally, second base umpire Rocky Roe asked him if he wanted the ball.

“I was getting a little worried there,” Van Burkleo said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this, I was hoping it wouldn’t go back in play.”

Gary DiSarcina moved pinch-runner Rod Correia to third with a bunt, and Myers walked to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Ron Tingley. Myers, who never before had faced Belinda, swung wildly at the first two pitches. He kept battling, and five pitches later, sent a fastball over the wall for the first pinch-hit homer of his career, erasing a 2-1 deficit.

“He had never seen him before,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said, “but it sure didn’t take long for him to get acquainted.”

The stage was next set for Butcher. He once was a prized prospect in the Royal organization, selected in the second round of the 1986 draft, only to be released two years later. Now, here he was, being asked to close the game for starter Mark Langston (11-5).

Butcher, returning from shoulder surgery just nine months ago, pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save, perhaps the most gratifying one of his career.

“It was a special feeling,” Butcher said, “but it was not a in-your-face type of thing. They’re a classy organization, it’s just that I got pretty fired up facing them.

“Really, I was probably more fired up for Ty than I was myself.”

While Butcher suddenly has inherited the closer’s role and will be provided the opportunity to be the stopper in 1994, Rodgers made it clear that Van Burkleo also will not be discounted in the Angels’ plans. Although J.T. Snow still is considered the heir apparent to the everyday first base job, Rodgers said that Van Burkleo will be a legitimate candidate.

“First base is still open,” Rodgers said. “Nobody’s got a lock on it. Sure, we’re counting on J.T. to handle it down there (at triple-A Vancouver), but no one knows for sure if he will.

“This could be Van Burkleo’s last hurrah.”

Then there was Kansas City third baseman Gary Gaetti, the Angels’ $11.4-million free-agent bust. He is considered a savior in Kansas City.

Gaetti, whom was released two months ago by the Angels, has been a godsend to the Royals. He is batting .309 in 35 games with three homers and 17 RBIs, and is more than adequate at third base.

“It’s not a thing where I’m trying to prove anything,” Gaetti said. “I’m not going around saying, ‘I told you so.’ They thought they were a better ballclub without me, so be it.

“For me, it was very difficult. When the expectations aren’t met, and the team doesn’t win, the frustration has to go somewhere.

“It went to me.”

The irony of the scenario is that had the Angels known the events that would unfold, they never would have released Gaetti. Kelly Gruber played only 18 games, and is out for the season, and infielder Damion Easley might sit out the rest of the season.