DiSarcina Nearly Fouls Up

One of the Angels’ offensive stars in Monday night’s 7-3 victory over the New York Yankees--and a player the Angels consider the glue to their defense--almost wound up on the disabled list Monday afternoon.

Shortstop Gary DiSarcina, who had three hits, including a two-run double in the seventh inning, spent almost an hour in the training room after the game, nursing a nasty welt on the inside of his left shin, the result of him fouling a batting-practice pitch off his leg.

“I thought I broke my leg,” DiSarcina said. “I fouled a pitch off the same spot three weeks ago, and, being the intelligent human being I am, I haven’t been using a shin guard. I’m going to be wearing one now.”

DiSarcina didn’t show signs of the pain Monday night, singling in the third inning, snapping a 2-2 tie with his double in the seventh, and singling and scoring in the ninth.

The double was his 34th of the season, and the three-hit night raised DiSarcina’s average to .300. He now has 49 RBIs, one more than his career-high of 48 in 1996, and 18 times his RBIs have either tied the game or given the Angels the lead.

“Not only is he hitting .300, he’s gotten some big hits for us this season,” Manager Terry Collins said. “He doesn’t have the power or foot speed of some of the other shortstops, but I’m glad I have him on my team.”

*

The Angels have used the disabled list 18 times this season, three short of the team record of 21, but it appears No. 19 will have to wait. Center fielder Jim Edmonds’ sore upper back showed considerable improvement Monday, and the Angels have no plans to put him on DL.

“He worked out, and he’ll probably play [tonight],” said Collins, who added that Edmonds was available to pinch-hit Monday night.

Edmonds, injured when he slammed into the wall Friday night against the Blue Jays, said Sunday that he felt as if he’d been in a car accident. He was a little more upbeat Monday--but still pretty beat up.

“I do feel better, just not as good as I hoped,” Edmonds said. “Sunday I wasn’t even close to being able to play. Today, I think I could deal with the pain. I can throw, but I just don’t know how hard.”

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After Sunday night’s 3-hour 40-minute game in Texas, which ended near midnight (EDT), the Yankees did not return to New York until about 5:30 a.m. Monday, and because of a delay at the airport, most players didn’t get home until 6:30 a.m. or later.

The Yankees canceled batting practice Monday night, and some players were a bit groggy, but DH Chili Davis, the former Angel, was not complaining.

“That’s about the time I normally get to bed,” Davis said, “so what do I have to [complain] about?”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ OMAR OLIVARES (7-8, 4.03 ERA) vs. YANKEES’ HIDEKI IRABU (11-6, 3.47 ERA)

Yankee Stadium, 4:30 p.m. PDT

TV--Channel 9.

Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Ken Hill, on the disabled list since June 11 because of an elbow injury, is scheduled to throw some batting practice today in preparation for Friday night’s start in Boston. If Olivares continues to pitch as he has in recent weeks, it will be difficult to pull him from the rotation. The Angel right-hander has given up only six earned runs in 20 innings during his last three starts. Irabu, troubled for much of 1997, has been superb in 1998, but the right-hander was rocked for a career-high seven runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings in his last start, a 16-5 loss to the Rangers on Aug. 15.