BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Free-Agent Lyons Signs With Edmonton

Catcher Barry Lyons, who became a free agent when he refused an outright assignment to the Dodgers’ triple-A team in Albuquerque, signed a contract with the Angels’ triple-A Edmonton affiliate Wednesday.

Lyons, an unrestricted free agent, batted nine times without a hit for the Dodgers and has a .236 career batting average. The Angels promised to recall him after he spends time with Edmonton, but Angel Senior Vice President Dan O’Brien said no specific date was set for that promotion. Lyons will join the Trappers Friday in Phoenix.

“We will probably, in due course, bring him up in September,” O’Brien said. “But depending on how things go, we might bring him up before then. He’s a pretty good catcher.”

Lyons will be paid a prorated portion of the $220,000 salary he earned with the Dodgers. With the season slightly more than one-third over, that would amount to nearly $150,000.

With regular catcher Lance Parrish on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his right forearm, the Angels were forced to recall John Orton from Edmonton to back up Ron Tingley. Tingley opened the season with Edmonton and was recalled in May when it was decided to let Orton play every day for the Trappers.

Center fielder Junior Felix left Wednesday’s game after straining his right calf muscle, the same injury that put him on the disabled list for two weeks in early June. The original strain occurred May 10. “I guess I have bad luck,” said Felix, who aggravated the injury while running out a ground ball in the third inning. He’s expected to be idled for several days. . . . By going two for four Wednesday, Luis Polonia had as many hits as in his previous 11 at-bats. Polonia credited hitting instructor Deron Johnson for his success Wednesday, after Johnson told him to keep his feet closer together at the plate. “DJ’s back, so I’m back,” Polonia said of Johnson, who missed the Boston series while attending to personal business in California. . . . Luis Sojo started at second base for the fourth consecutive game, his longest streak since May 5-8.