Edmonds Discounts Latest Knee Injury

Jim Edmonds called it a “mini-pop,” but the Angel center fielder Tuesday re-injured his right knee to the extent that he will be examined by team physician Lewis Yocum today.

Edmonds, who has torn cartilage in his left knee and an inflamed tendon in his right knee, landed awkwardly on the right knee after making a running catch of Larry Walker’s ball to the gap in left-center in the third inning.

He remained in the game until the seventh but looked uncomfortable while striking out in the fifth, and Manager Terry Collins pulled him for defensive purposes in the seventh.

“It’s no big deal,” Edmonds said, downplaying the injury, as usual. “I don’t know what happened, and I don’t know what to expect. As long as I don’t have to run, I’ll do fine.”

Garret Anderson didn’t play Tuesday because of a tight left hamstring, and Collins said he may rest the left fielder until Friday. Catcher Jim Leyritz was hit in the left hand by a pitch in the fifth but remained in the game.

*

Chuck Finley, the winning pitcher Tuesday, had some advice for pitchers in Coors Field. “Don’t take batting practice or stand there watching batting practice,” he said. “You can get your feelings hurt.” . . . Catcher Todd Greene set the franchise triple-A home run record with his 25th of the season Monday. Greene is batting .362 with 22 doubles and 75 RBIs in 62 games for Vancouver. . . . The Angels signed five more players from the June draft, including third-round pick Heath Timmerman, a 19-year-old pitcher from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M;, and 31st-round pick Steve Hagins, a catcher from San Diego State and Irvine University High. Timmerman, who sat out the 1996 season because of a shoulder injury, went 3-8 with a 5.97 earned-run average this season. Also signing: Georgia Southern pitcher Ryan Cummings (eighth round), North Florida infielder Keith Medosch (17th) and Miami shortstop Brad Brewer (44th).

Freeway Series / Round II

UPDATE

* Site--Anaheim Stadium, two games.

* Tonight--7:30.

* TV--Fox Sports West 2 tonight, Channel 5 Thursday night.

* Radio--KTZN (710), KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Angels 42-39, Dodgers 40-42.

* Previous meeting--Dodgers won both games of series, 4-3 and 7-5.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JASON DICKSON (8-4, 3.51 ERA) vs. DODGERS’ CHAN HO PARK (5-5, 3.40 ERA)

* Update--Angel third baseman Dave Hollins, who didn’t play Tuesday, plans to remain with the team through Sunday, even though his wife is overdue with the couple’s third child in Orchard Park, N.Y. Dickson had been the Angels’ most consistent pitcher, but the rookie right-hander has been roughed up for 11 runs on 31 hits in his last three starts and hasn’t won since June 10. The Angels had a chance to sweep the previous series against the Dodgers in Dodger Stadium but blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss June 17 and a one-run lead in the seventh inning of a 7-5 loss June 18. The Dodgers have been vulnerable to right-handed pitching this season, hitting .252 against them and .272 against left-handers.

* Thursday, 7 p.m.--Allen Watson (7-4, 5.22) vs. Hideo Nomo (7-7, 4.02).