It’s Better to Bunt Than Punt

Center fielder Darin Erstad has one hit, a single, in the first six at-bats of his rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Salt Lake. Erstad, a punter at Nebraska, is expected to play three games in Salt Lake City when the Stingers return home later this week.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, a Nevada sports book is taking bets for which will be greater: the number of hits Erstad gets in Salt Lake City, or the number of punts Nebraska makes in its game against Utah State on Sept. 6.

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The Angels and Expos haven’t met during the regular season, but they did play in the Hall of Fame exhibition game in 1996. The next day, with the Angels bound for last place, then-manager Marcel Lachemann resigned, prompting this infamous quote from then-president Tony Tavares: “This team has too many players who look like they came from Newport Beach, where their daddies and mommies gave them everything they ever wanted.” Tavares resigned in January 2002, in advance of the Angels’ World Series championship, and now serves as president of the Expos.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Montreal Expos, three games.

Site -- Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Radio -- KSPN (710), KWKU (1220).

Records -- Angels 27-27, Expos 33-24.

Record vs. Expos -- First meeting.

Tonight, 4 p.m. PDT -- Ramon Ortiz (4-5, 5.20) vs. Tomo Ohka (4-5, 4.18).

Wednesday, 4 p.m. -- Jarrod Washburn (5-5, 3.22) vs. Sun-Woo Kim (0-0, 0.00).

Thursday, 4 p.m. -- John Lackey (3-5, 6.15) vs. Javier Vazquez (5-3, 3.60).