Percival’s Save Came With a Price

There was a very good reason Troy Percival’s fastball topped out at 91 mph Saturday night -- the Detroit closer tore a muscle in his right forearm on his second warmup pitch in the bullpen and still went out to face his ex-teammates, coolly dispatching the Angels during a 12-pitch ninth inning to preserve the Tigers’ 2-1 win.

It was a Pyrrhic save. Monday, Percival was put on the 15-day disabled list with an injury that is expected to sideline the veteran for four to six weeks.

“Does it surprise me he went out there? Not one bit,” Angel first baseman Darin Erstad said. “It would have taken a bone sticking out of his arm for him not to pitch in that game.

“I can’t tell you how many times he went out there and pitched with things he shouldn’t have pitched with. That’s what made him what he is. You can’t just turn that off, especially in front of your old home crowd.”

Percival, who had 316 saves in 10 years with the Angels, did not mention his injury to reporters after the game, but Angel pitcher Jarrod Washburn said he could tell Percival was hurt because of his facial expressions and the way he was shaking his arm on the mound.

“But it doesn’t matter what’s wrong with that guy -- he always finds a way to get it done,” Washburn said. “He never makes an excuse.”

Percival has rebounded from a long list of ailments over the years, but he’s 35 now and at the beginning of a two-year, $12-million contract with the Tigers.

“I think the damage was already done -- I don’t think going out there made it worse,” Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly said.

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Washburn said he suffered a mild concussion Sunday when he hit the ground with a thud while diving for Detroit outfielder Nook Logan’s bunt in the third inning.

Washburn, who gave up seven runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 10-1 loss, said he felt “a little woozy” Monday, but expected to make his next start, Saturday at Detroit.

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Bengie Molina, sidelined since April 18 because of a strained right thigh, ran the bases “close to 100%” Monday and could come off the DL as early as Wednesday.

The catcher probably will be activated Friday at Detroit. The Angels miss his bat, but his brother, Jose, has been a more than capable defensive replacement.

Before Monday night’s game, Angel pitchers had a 2.86 earned-run average in 154 innings with Jose Molina behind the plate.

The team has a 4.56 ERA in 79 innings with Bengie Molina catching and a 4.30 ERA in 46 innings with Josh Paul catching.

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Maicer Izturis, out since April 26 because of a sprained left knee ligament, will begin throwing today, and Manager Mike Scioscia intimated the infielder could return by late May or early June.