Hollins’ Endurance Wins Praise From His Manager

Third baseman Dave Hollins’ diabetes--and the strict diet, insulin and rest regimen he must adhere to in his battle against the disease--make it almost impossible for him to play day games after night games or to play very long in excessive heat.

But Hollins did both Sunday, lasting nine innings on a scorching, 97-degree day in Camden Yards after playing the entire game in almost the same conditions Saturday night. Hollins finally came out of the game in the bottom of the 10th Sunday, but he was back in the lineup Monday night.

“He came up to me [in the 10th inning Sunday] and said he was done,” Manager Terry Collins said. “He was spent. I was surprised he went that long. . . . I think it’s inspiring, watching the way he plays the game every day in the condition he’s in.

“It’s tough because diabetes is not a rare disease, but unless you know how difficult it is to handle, you don’t know how hard it is for him.”

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Left fielder Garret Anderson made a strong throw from the left-field corner to second base to cut down Cal Ripken in the fourth inning Monday night, moving Anderson into second place in the American League in outfield assists with 13. Tim Salmon ranks third with 12.

Anderson also made a superb catch of Ripken’s long foul ball in the ninth inning, leaping high above the wall in the left-field corner to snatch the ball out of the crowd.

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Tony Phillips isn’t the only Angel involved in a legal matter this summer. A suit filed in Suffolk County, Mass., alleging that Matthew O’Connor was injured when struck in the head by a bat that slipped out of shortstop Gary DiSarcina’s hands in Fenway Park on July 5, 1994, was recently dismissed.

The court sided with DiSarcina and the Angels because Massachusetts is not DiSarcina’s usual place of business, and he was merely pursuing his trade at Fenway Park. Both DiSarcina and the Angels were listed as defendants.

“It’s my fault I play baseball?” DiSarcina said, passing the suit off as superfluous. “But they’re probably going to appeal, so I can’t talk about it.”

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Pitcher Mark Langston, recovering from May 27 elbow surgery, believes he’s ready to return to the rotation, but Collins would like the left-hander to make one more rehabilitation start, likely for Class-A Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, before being activated.

ON DECK

* Opponent--New York Yankees, four games.

* Site--Anaheim Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports West tonight, Fox Sports West and ESPN Wednesday night (second game), Channel 9 Thursday night.

* Radio--KTZN (710).

* Records--Angels 68-56, Yankees 73-49.

* Record vs. Yankees--3-4.

TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (13-6, 4.07 ERA) vs. YANKEES’ DAVID WELLS (14-5, 3.60 ERA)

* Update--Finley, who has won his last 10 starts, will be shooting for sole possession of the franchise record for consecutive victories, which he shares with Bert Blyleven (1989) and Ken McBride (1962). The left-hander, who was 3-6 with a 5.71 earned-run average on June 27, has given up only three home runs since July 1 after giving up 17 in his first 14 starts. Though the Angels and Yankees aren’t battling each other for a division title, the series provides an opportunity for one to gain ground on the other in the wild-card race. Hideki Irabu, the highly touted Japanese right-hander who signed a $12-million contract with the Yankees, will pitch in Wednesday’s doubleheader, but Manager Joe Torre has not decided which game he will start.

* Wednesday, 4 p.m.--Jason Dickson (11-5, 4.00) and Ken Hill (6-9, 5.35) vs. Irabu (3-2, 7.36) and Dwight Gooden (6-4, 4.97).

* Thursday, 7 p.m.--Allen Watson (10-7, 4.56) vs. Andy Pettitte (14-7, 3.16).