A Round-Trip Ticket for Minor Leaguers

Angel right-hander Brendan Donnelly finished up the first game of Monday’s doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, giving up one hit and one run over the final 2 2/3 innings.

That also finished his latest stint as an Angel. Donnelly was optioned to the Salt Lake Stingers, the team’s triple-A affiliate, before the second game to make room for right-hander John Lackey, who was brought up to start the nightcap.

This is nothing new for Donnelly. He’s used to spending as much time on airplanes as he does on the mound. A major league rookie at 30, Donnelly has spent 10 seasons in the minors with nine organizations.

He has had two tours of duty with the Angels this season, compiling a 6.14 earned-run average in six appearances with no decisions. In 7 1/3 innings, he has struck out five and walked three.

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The doubleheader also forced the Rangers to do some roster maneuvering. In order to make room for first-game starter Joaquin Benoit, who was brought up from the Oklahoma RedHawks of the Pacific Coast League, the Rangers put outfielder Gabe Kapler, suffering from tendinitis in his left wrist, on the 15-day disabled list. An MRI Monday revealed the inflammation.

Kapler, who attended Taft High in Woodland Hills, Cal State Fullerton and Moorpark College, was batting .263 with 14 runs batted in in 59 games.

For the second game, Benoit, despite the victory, was sent back to Oklahoma to continue his development. The Rangers brought up right-hander Aaron Myette to take his spot.

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When Lackey started the second game, the Angels became the last of the American League teams to use a sixth starter this season. In the National League, the New York Mets are the only club to have stayed with five starters.

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Angel third baseman Troy Glaus, bothered by a nerve ailment between two toes on his right foot, has borrowed a pair of shoes from teammate Brad Fullmer because they have soft cleats, which ease the irritation.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

SCOTT

SCHOENEWEIS

(6-5, 4.83 ERA)

vs.

RANGERS’

ISMAEL

VALDES

(4-6, 3.86 ERA)

The Ballpark in Arlington, 5 p.m. PDT

TV--KCAL (Channel 9).

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

Update--The Rangers had Schoeneweis’ number heading into this season. He was 0-3 against them in nine appearances with a 7.68 ERA. The Angel starter has turned those numbers around in 2002. Schoeneweis is 2-1 against Texas with a 1.50 ERA. Valdes, who spent parts of seven seasons with the Dodgers in two tours of duty and all of last season with the Angels, has done well against Anaheim. He is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA in two starts against the Angels this season, 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA in four starts against them.