Washburn Injured in Victory

The Angels ended their longest losing streak of the season at five games Monday night, getting an effective start from Jarrod Washburn, two home runs from Ron Gant and a homer and two singles from Mo Vaughn in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox before 23,078 in Edison Field.

And they still couldn’t savor it. Not when Washburn, who gave up one run on three hits and induced seven infield popups in 5 1/3 innings, had to depart in the sixth because of a sore left shoulder.

On the same day he was activated from the disabled list after a strained left biceps sidelined him for a little more than two weeks, Washburn was put back on the DL after Monday night’s game.

The Angels also outrighted struggling outfielder Edgard Clemente, who has cleared waivers, to triple-A Edmonton and recalled infielder Keith Johnson. A move to fill Washburn’s spot will be made later this week.

Washburn will undergo a battery of tests today, but he doesn’t believe his injury is related to the biceps or the knots in the back of his shoulder he had this season.

“It’s scary, because I don’t know what it is,” Washburn said. “It’s been bothering me off and on since that game in Cleveland [on May 29].”

Though Washburn’s results were good Monday night, Manager Mike Scioscia thought he was laboring.

“His stuff wasn’t crisp at all, and his arm action didn’t look good,” Scioscia said. “Hopefully it’s just a little fatigue. The first step is to pinpoint the problem.”

Washburn (7-2) was relieved by right-hander Mark Petkovsek, who gave up one infield single in two innings. Shigetoshi Hasegawa pulled the Angels to safety in the eighth, preserving a 3-1 lead by getting Scott Hatteberg to pop to second and Nomar Garciaparra to fly to right with two on to end the inning.

The Angels tacked on an insurance run on Matt Walbeck’s RBI grounder in the eighth, and Hasegawa, subbing for injured closer Troy Percival, added a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

Among the options to replace Washburn: Relievers Mike Fyhrie and Al Levine could spot start, Kent Mercker could come off the DL by this weekend, or Scot Shields could be recalled from Edmonton.

*

It was a depressing afternoon for Brian Cooper, and not only because the right-hander who gave up 22 earned runs in 18 innings of his last four starts was optioned to triple-A Edmonton before Monday’s game.

The first jolt came when Cooper discovered veteran Ken Hill had been released. A solemn Cooper approached Hill to say farewell but left feeling a little better about things.

“He was comforting us, which is how it’s been all year,” Cooper said. “After a tough outing, he’d always say, ‘Don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to fail.’ He was never upset [the young pitchers] were here. He was always rooting us on.”

*

An MRI exam on Percival’s throwing arm Monday indicated tendinitis in the elbow but no major structural damage.

Percival, who was placed on the disabled list Saturday, will continue therapy, but no timetable has been set for him to resume throwing or return to action.

*

Shortstop Kevin Stocker left Monday night’s game in the fourth inning because of tightness in his left hamstring. He was replaced by Benji Gil. . . . Tim Salmon tied his career-best 15-game hitting streak with a first-inning single Monday. Darin Erstad ended an 0-for-13 skid, his longest drought of the season, with a single in the fourth inning. . . . The Angels plan to stretch Mercker to 75-80 pitches in Wednesday’s rehabilitation start for Edmonton, and if all goes well, the left-hander who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage May 11, will be activated this weekend.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

RAMON ORTIZ

(3-2, 6.16 ERA)

vs.

RED SOX’S

PEDRO MARTINEZ

(13-3, 1.42 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net. Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Ortiz, who was 6-6 with a 4.55 ERA in 15 starts for triple-A Edmonton, will finally get his wish--a start against the idol who many have compared him to, Martinez. Martinez has not lost since May 23 and is 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA against the Angels.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.