Tech killings stun Saunders

The deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history, in which 33 people died in a Virginia Tech dormitory and classroom building Monday, hit home for Angels pitcher Joe Saunders, who played at the university from 2000 to 2002.

“From being there for three or four years and seeing what happened today, it blows your mind,” said Saunders, whose father, also named Joe, works as an architect at the Blacksburg, Va., campus.

Teammate Robb Quinlan informed Saunders of the shootings in the fifth inning of Monday’s 7-2 loss to the Red Sox, and Saunders’ first reaction was disbelief.

“I told him, ‘I hope you’re kidding,’ ” Saunders said. “I came inside the clubhouse, looked on CNN, and there it was.

“I stayed right across the street from West Ambler Johnston [the dorm in which the shootings took place]. It hit home pretty good.”

The first thing the left-hander did was call his father, who was at his home in Northern Virginia. He was not scheduled to be on campus until today.

“He said he’s fine,” Saunders said. “I was glad to hear he was OK.”

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The Angels were surprised -- and disappointed -- that home-plate umpire Rick Reed issued warnings to both dugouts after Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, three pitches after Orlando Cabrera hit a home run, hit Vladimir Guerrero on the right wrist with an 0-and-2 fastball in the first inning.

Manager Mike Scioscia thought the warning might have inhibited Angels starter Ervin Santana from pitching inside, and center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. thought it denied the Angels a chance to retaliate.

“You know, you never want to see one of your key players, especially a guy like Vladdy, get hurt,” Matthews said. “I know people try to pitch Vladdy inside, but if you’re going to pitch in, pitch in. If your horse gets hit, you hate to be in a situation where you can’t throw in on somebody else or knock somebody down.

“You never want to see anybody get hurt, but hey, one of our big boys goes down, somebody over there has to go down. That’s just how this game is. And I’m not saying throw at somebody’s head or hurt somebody. It’s baseball, and you hate to be in a position where you can’t do that.”

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The Angels rotation could receive a huge boost this weekend when Bartolo Colon returns from a rotator-cuff tear, a full month ahead of schedule and with a few extra miles an hour on his fastball.

Colon said in spring training that he anticipated having to learn to pitch with less velocity, but the right-hander’s fastball hit 96 mph Sunday during his final rehabilitation start, in which he threw 95 pitches in seven shutout innings for triple-A Salt Lake. He will start Saturday against Seattle.

“Wow, that’s exciting,” pitcher Kelvim Escobar said when told of Colon’s outing and gun readings. “I’m happy for him and happy for the team. If he’s healthy, it would mean a lot for this team because it makes our pitching staff even better.”

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The Red Sox and Angels will make up Sunday’s rainout as part of a day-night doubleheader in Fenway Park on Aug. 17, with the first game at 1 p.m. EDT and the second at 7 p.m. EDT. The Angels have a 7 p.m. game in Toronto the previous night.... Matthews ended an 0-for-14 slump with a fifth-inning single.... Boston slugger David Ortiz went six for 11 with two homers and eight runs batted in during the series.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com