Morales Enjoys Grand Stage

Kendry Morales batted cleanup for the storied Cuban National Team when he was 19. How much more pressure could it be batting fifth for the Angels in his major league debut Tuesday night?

“It’s kind of hard to explain, because I haven’t faced the pressure here yet,” Morales said through an interpreter before the game. “I know I’ll have a bat in my hands and someone will throw the ball from the mound. That’s about it.”

That simple approach served Morales well. The 22-year-old Cuban defector had three hits, including a two-run home run in the third inning, in five at-bats against the Rangers.

Morales, who signed a six-year, $6-million deal with the Angels in the winter of 2004, had struggled in his first few weeks at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and double-A Arkansas in 2005 and triple-A Salt Lake this season.

But the switch-hitter, after batting .235 in April, went on a tear in May, hitting .413 in 19 games. Running out of in-house options to bolster their offense, the Angels had little choice but to call Morales up Monday night and essentially hand him the first-base job for as long as he proves he can handle it.

“It’s a lot to ask of a youngster to come up and hit in the middle of the lineup, but that’s where we are right now,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ll give him a good look.”

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Scioscia said Bartolo Colon’s two-inning, 35-pitch simulated game Tuesday “wasn’t quite as crisp” as the last bullpen session the Angels ace threw. Pitching coach Bud Black called the simulated game “a test.” Did Colon pass it? “He got through it,” Black said.

Hardly a ringing endorsement for a pitcher who doesn’t seem to be getting much closer to a return from an inflamed shoulder, which has sidelined him for five weeks.

Last week, Colon went through what Black called “a little dead arm,” and Colon didn’t progress enough Tuesday to begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Colon is scheduled to throw another simulated game Saturday and will be re-evaluated afterward.

Colon threw all his pitches Tuesday, but his fastball wasn’t that sharp. “Was Bart throwing 98 mph? No,” said Darin Erstad, who hit against Colon. “But it’s better to see him throwing than not throwing.”

Said Scioscia: “He’s coming along. It comes down to repeating pitches, improving command. It’s going to take some work.”

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Though the Angels have attractive options at triple-A Salt Lake, Scioscia said he would stick with Kevin Gregg for Friday night’s game against Baltimore.

Jered Weaver threw a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks against New Orleans Monday, extending his scoreless innings streak to a franchise-tying record 27.1. Weaver, the Angels’ first-round pick in 2004, is 4-1 with a 1.89 earned-run average in nine games at Salt Lake, striking out 66 and walking eight in 57 innings. Left-hander Joe Saunders is 5-2 with a 3.36 ERA in nine games.

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Erstad, on the disabled list since May 1 because of bone spurs and a bone bruise in his right ankle, ran the bases at close to full speed Tuesday and could begin a minor league rehab stint next week.... Utility infielder Maicer Izturis, out since April 24 because of strained left hamstring, is expected to begin a minor league rehab stint with triple-A Salt Lake this weekend.