Demoted Angels pitcher Eric Hurley a survivor

The resilient Eric Hurley just had one more hurdle tossed in front of him: a demotion to the Angels’ minor league camp.

In the last three years, Hurley has undergone shoulder surgery, operations on a broken left wrist and suffered a small skull fracture when hit by a comebacker.

Two avenues seemed evident for the 26-year-old: say enough is enough, or get back on the mound.

“I hope bad things come in threes, and that’s over,” Hurley said before pitching Friday. “I know I can pitch at a high level.”

Friday wasn’t that day.

Hurley on Sunday said, “My best pitches were getting hit, and that’s never good,” as the San Diego Padres scored five runs off Hurley (four earned) on five hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings.

Sunday, with the Angels demoting him and shrinking their major league roster to 41 players, Manager Mike Scioscia said the pitcher needs the guaranteed innings that minor league games provide.

“He’s still on our depth chart,” Scioscia said.

Hurley, a 2004 first-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers, was a non-roster invitee of the Angels, a 6-foot-4 right-hander who can throw in the 90s and was a dark horse to emerge as a contributor with No. 5 starter Jerome Williams currently out of action with a hamstring strain.

Williams could still return to the rotation by the time the No. 5 spot arrives in the rotation, April 15. Garrett Richards and Eric Mills are the front-runners to be summoned now if Williams can’t get back.

Before Friday’s setback, Scioscia said Hurley was “starting to get comfortable.”

Hurley complements the fastball with a slider and changeup, and struck out seven in his spring work.

In 2007, Hurley was meeting a first-rounder’s high expectations, going a combined 10-3 in two seasons at double-A Frisco, Texas, but he dropped to 7-14 upon a promotion to triple-A Oklahoma City and Texas.

Arthroscopic shoulder surgery scrapped 2009, then he broke his left wrist in a non-baseball related incident in March 2010, requiring two operations.

Hurley had a good spring, but in his second start at triple-A Round Rock last year, a line drive forced him to the hospital with a concussion and the small skull fracture.

“The harder you throw it, the harder they hit it,” Hurley said.

The Angels signed Hurley on Dec. 23 after Scott Servais, the former Rangers player development director, became Angels assistant general manager.

“You’ve got to have an opportunity to make it,” Hurley said.

Hurley said the two-plus seasons away emboldened him and deepened his appreciation for the game.

“To go through that much stuff and not let it hold you down … it beats you up for sure, watching your teammates win while you’re dealing with adversity,” he said. “I have a strong family, though, had more than a couple shoulders to lean on when things were going bad.”

Even if it’s joining the team later this season for long-relief innings, Hurley said, “To be a part of this team would be something special.”

During the off-season, Hurley trained with some of the same Texas Rangers teammates he came through the system with and who have participated in two World Series.

“Now, we gotta beat ‘em,” Hurley said. “Funny the way it folds out.”