Minor Leaguers Could Get Starts

The Angels might be leaning toward using two minor league pitchers to fill starts Tuesday and Wednesday in Cleveland.

Chris Bootcheck, who is at triple-A Salt Lake City, pitched Thursday, and Erwin Santana was pulled after pitching 2 1/3 innings for double-A Arkansas on Friday. One or both could be called up for a start.

“[Santana] was pulled because he is an option,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Bootcheck is another and he pitched the day before.”

Bartolo Colon all but removed himself as an option, throwing 88 pitches in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. Colon, whose previous start was May 7, did not return after a 39-minute rain delay in the fifth inning and gave up two runs and eight hits.

Scioscia had considered bringing Colon back Wednesday on three days’ rest. Scioscia also said that Colon was suffering from flu-like symptoms or a virus, another reason he probably will take his regular turn Friday.

“Right now he is an outside option unless he responds well,” Scioscia said.

The other option would be to use reliever Kevin Gregg in one of the games.

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Jarrod Washburn wasn’t frustrated with the Angels’ run support Saturday. But he was a bit unhappy about some good pitches that resulted in hits.

Washburn more or less ditched his breaking ball after three innings and went on to limit Detroit to three runs and nine hits in seven innings. Unfortunately for Washburn, two of those hits were home runs in a 3-2 loss in the second game.

“I wasn’t frustrated about that,” said Washburn, who has pitched at least seven innings in three of his last four starts. “What bothered me was some of those hits. They just got a piece of some of them.”

Most annoying to him was the second-inning home run by Craig Monroe, who threw his bat away in apparent disgust after hitting the ball, then had it clear the left-field fence.

“I was surprised too,” Washburn said. “He got one up high and the wind took it out.”

Monroe has four hits against Washburn, with three being home runs.

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Steve Finley had one hit in four at-bats, leaving him with a .200 batting average at the end of the day for the first time this season.... Chris Prieto, who spent the last 12 seasons playing in the minor leagues and Mexico, made his major league debut in the second game, starting in center field. He had a sacrifice bunt and flied out in his two plate appearances before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.