BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Polonia Sidelined by Shoulder Injury

Left fielder Luis Polonia was unavailable Sunday because of a hyperextended left shoulder, which is expected to idle him for several days.

Polonia was injured Saturday while attempting to steal second base in the fifth inning of the Angels’ 12-10 loss to the Yankees. Swelling in the shoulder made it difficult for Yankee team physician Stuart Hershon to assess the damage, but he prescribed rest and anti-inflammatory medication.

“I passed the base, and I was trying to grab the bag and I got a hand on it,” Polonia said. “I didn’t feel anything, then five minutes later I started feeling it. It feels bad today. I had the same thing last year. That’s why I couldn’t throw the ball. I just hope it doesn’t stay that way this time.”

Yankee Stadium was the perfect place for Polonia’s replacement, Max Venable, to excel. Venable led off the game with a homer, the first Angel to do that since Brian Downing on June 9, 1990, and he made a fine running catch in the sixth inning on Mel Hall’s fly ball to shallow left.

“I was kidding Luis and calling him Wally Pipp,” Venable said, referring to the Yankee first baseman who lost his job in 1923 when he sat out a game and was replaced by Lou Gehrig, who began a record streak of 2,130 consecutive games played. “I’m just in a utility guy’s role. If you go out and play well, it’s a plus.”

The RBI was Venable’s first since he hit a grand slam against Kansas City on July 2, a game also started by Jim Abbott.

“Max has had some big hits for me,” Abbott said. “There was a game last year against the Orioles that he led off with a home run. Every pitcher it seems has a guy who comes up big for him. I guess Max is my guy.”

The Angels’ 4-2 record at Yankee Stadium was only their fourth winning record in New York since 1961.