Sagmoen Has Inside Shot for First Hit

In the first week of his major league career, history found Marc Sagmoen.

He made his debut on Tuesday wearing No. 42, the night that number was retired throughout baseball in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Then, Thursday in Texas’ 5-1 victory over Kansas City, the outfielder became the fourth player ever to get an inside-the-park home run for his first major league hit.

The Elias Sports Bureau said pitcher Butch Henry of Houston was the last player to have an inside-the-parker for his first hit, doing it May 8, 1992. The others were Johnnie LeMaster of San Francisco in 1975 and Brian Downing of the White Sox in 1973.

When the Angels take the field against the Royals on Saturday night, they will get reacquainted with former teammate Chili Davis. Davis, traded to the Royals for pitcher Mark Gubicza in the off-season, was activated from the disabled list Sunday and is hitting .357 for his new team.

Don’t look for former Dodger Jose Offerman though. He was put on the disabled list by the Royals last week because of a strained groin and is not eligible to play until Monday, the day after the Angels leave town.

The biggest weak spot for the Royals so far: the bullpen. Closer Jeff Montgomery, trying to recover from shoulder surgery, has a 16.60 earned-run average and gave up a home run to Texas’ Dean Palmer on his first pitch in the ninth inning Thursday.