BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Williams Wildly Injures Two

The wing feels great, but Angel reliever Mitch Williams is having problems with his landing gear, and the San Francisco Giants paid the price Saturday.

Williams, suffering from a strained muscle in his right thigh, sent two Giants to the hospital for X-rays, J.R. Phillips for a possible wrist fracture and Jeff Reed for a possible broken finger.

It could have been worse. After giving up a solo home run to Glenallen Hill in the sixth inning of the Angels’ 5-3 exhibition victory in Scottsdale Stadium, Williams’ next pitch went right at Phillips’ head.

Phillips got his hand to his face just in time to block the ball, but the impact knocked him out of the game. Two batters later, Williams lost control of another pitch that almost beaned Reed. Reed, like Phillips, got his hand up in time. Reed, like Phillips, wound up in the hospital.

As an added bonus, Williams threw two wild pitches that sent pinch-runner Todd Benzinger to second and third before retiring the side. One run, one hit, no deaths, anybody left?

“I’m thinking about landing more than making the pitch because when I land it hurts like hell,” Williams said. “My arm feels great, but I couldn’t drive through on my slider. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll either have to pitch with it or stop throwing sliders.”

Phillips was seething but didn’t charge the mound. Williams said it wasn’t intentional, and Giant Manager Dusty Baker trusted him.

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The post-Williams relievers were exceptional, and the Angels scored twice in the ninth to win. Troy Percival struck out two of three batters in the seventh, Lee Smith struck out two of four in the eighth and Erik Bennett retired the side with one strikeout in the ninth. Mark Langston started and threw three innings, giving up Barry Bonds’ solo home run.

Luis Raven tripled to open the ninth for the Angels and scored on Spike Owen’s single. Owen stole second, reached third on catcher Marcus Jensen’s throwing error and scored on Tony Phillips’ groundout.

Phillips, making his Angel debut after being traded from Detroit for Chad Curtis Thursday, also singled on William VanLandingham’s first pitch of the game.

Phillips said he thinks the Angels could win the American League West if they finish 10 games above .500.

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The Angels, looking to add some depth at first base and some pop off the bench, signed Ricky Jordan to a minor league contract and invited him to their major league camp.

Jordan, 29, played seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, batting .282 with 54 home runs and 300 runs batted in. He was primarily a backup to first baseman John Kruk last season, hitting .282 with eight homers and 37 RBIs.