Angels’ Josh Hamilton sidelined indefinitely, but Huston Street is OK

Angels closer Huston Street said he will be available to pitch Wednesday night after missing three games because of a sore right hamstring. But left fielder Josh Hamilton will miss his sixth straight game because of a right-shoulder injury, and he’s in so much pain there is no timetable for his return.

Hamilton took two more cortisone injections in the back of his shoulder Tuesday night and said before Wednesday night’s game against the Texas Rangers that he was “really sore.”

Hamilton will sit out Thursday night’s series finale and said he has “no guess” as to when he’ll play again. He will be evaluated by doctors when the Angels return to Southern California on Friday, and there is a chance he will undergo an MRI test.

“It’s frustrating, because it’s not like I’ve been down the whole time,” said Hamilton, who initially injured the shoulder last week in Houston and took a cortisone shot after aggravating it in Minnesota on Thursday night. “I’ve taken some swings, it will feel good for a few, and all of a sudden it will flare up again.”

The Angels haven’t missed their cleanup hitter. They’ve won six straight games entering Wednesday night and have scored 55 runs on 79 hits, including nine home runs, in those games. But Hamilton misses them.

“I actually despise having to watch the games,” said Hamilton, who missed most of April and May because of a torn left-thumb ligament and is hitting .263 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs in 88 games on the season.

“But at the same time, we’re having so much fun, we’re playing so well … it makes it a little easier and a little harder. I want to be out there. At the same time, have to take care of business.”

The Angels enter Wednesday with an eight-game lead over Oakland in the American League West and a magic number of 11 to clinch their first division title since 2009.

That cushion played a role in holding Street, who was injured while stretching for a throw at first base on a game-ending double play in Minnesota on Saturday night, out for a third straight day Tuesday.

“I absolutely could have pitched” Tuesday night, said Street, who has a 1.71 earned-run average and 13 saves in 15 opportunities with the Angels since a July 18 trade from San Diego.

“But we’re in a pretty good situation right now with an eight-game lead with 18 games to play. It was more of a collective effort to be cautious. They asked me Tuesday what I thought. I said if we give it one more day, it will be perfect. So we made that decision. My anticipation is that I’ll be available tonight.”