Pettis Suffers Pulled Groin Muscle; Status May Be Determined Today

The insult of the Angels’ 6-1 loss to the New York Yankees at Anaheim Stadium Saturday was compounded by an injury to Gary Pettis.

Dr. Lewis Yocum said the center fielder had suffered a fairly serious groin pull that will be re-examined today. Yocum said he would then have a better idea of how long Pettis might be out of a lineup already struggling for runs.

Pettis singled and stole second in the first inning. It was his 24th straight steal in a two-year period, moving him within eight of the American League record held by Willie Wilson and Julio Cruz.

Pettis said he was injured while backpedaling to catch Dave Winfield’s deep drive to center in the sixth. He remained in the lineup, however, and probably aggravated the condition in the home sixth, running out a second single and then diving back to first when picked off by Joe Cowley. Pettis left the game after the eighth.

Pettis said he couldn’t predict how long he might be out because he had never had a similar injury. He is hitting .250 with a club-leading 31 hits and 22 runs, in addition to 22 steals.

The injury comes at a time when Doug DeCinces has yet to return to the lineup because of a back spasm suffered in Milwaukee May 10. Manager Gene Mauch said there was an outside chance DeCinces would play in today’s series finale against New York.