Debut of Ortiz Is Close at Hand

The long-anticipated major league debut of Ramon Ortiz, the Angels’ highly touted pitching prospect from the Dominican Republic, will be Thursday against the Chicago White Sox in Comiskey Park.

Angel pitcher Ken Hill was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of a strained right groin and abdominal muscle and tendinitis in his left knee.

Jarrod Washburn, who was en route from Edmonton to Chicago on Sunday, is expected to take Hill’s roster spot and start tonight against the White Sox, but the Angels will need another starter Thursday.

The Angels didn’t announce any roster moves Sunday, but Carney Lansford, manager at triple-A Edmonton, confirmed that Ortiz will be promoted and start Thursday.

Ortiz, who has drawn comparisons to Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez because of his slight stature (6-foot, 165 pounds) and 95-mph fastball, began this season at double-A Erie, where he went 9-4 with a 2.82 earned-run average and 86 strikeouts in 102 innings.

The right-hander was promoted in July to Edmonton, where he went 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings in his first eight starts. Ortiz, on a five-inning limit, started Sunday against Albuquerque, giving up four runs on six hits and striking out five.

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Pitcher Lou Pote, called up last week, is excited about going to Chicago. The right-hander grew up in Chicago and attended De LaSalle High School, a few blocks from Comiskey Park.

“Seeing all my friends and family is going to be great,” Pote said. “They’re probably more excited than I am, especially my family, because they supported me for nine years in the minor leagues.”

Pote, a former minor leaguer with the Giants, played eight professional seasons without rising above the double-A level before finally reaching triple-A Edmonton this season.

He made his major league debut last Wednesday against Cleveland, giving up one run in three innings, and he replaced starter Chuck Finley in the seventh Sunday, striking out Juan Encarnacion with runners on first and third to end the inning. Pote added a scoreless eighth and ninth.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Chicago White Sox, four games.

* Site--Comiskey Park, Chicago.

* Tonight--5.

* Record vs. White Sox--2-2.

* TV--Channel 9 today and Tuesday.

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 48-68, White Sox 54-62.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN (0-0, 7.71 ERA) vs. WHITE SOX’S MIKE SIROTKA (7-10, 3.82 ERA)

* Update--Third baseman Troy Glaus went seven for 12 with two home runs in the Tiger series--a bomb into the upper deck Friday night and a laser that cleared the left-field wall in a hurry Sunday. Glaus is batting .249, and he leads the team in home runs with 20.

* Tuesday, 5 p.m.--Steve Sparks (5-9, 4.90) vs. Jaime Navarro (7-10, 6.02).

* Wednesday, 5 p.m.--Tim Belcher (5-7, 6.91) vs. James Baldwin (6-11, 5.04).

* Thursday, 11 a.m.--Ramon Ortiz (major league debut) vs. Jim Parque (9-8, 4.33).