Howie Kendrick out of Angels lineup again after cortisone injection
There was a very good reason Howie Kendrick, who was thought to be available to pinch hit Saturday night, never came to the plate while the Angels were going hitless in the final seven innings of their 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Atlanta Braves.
Manager Mike Scioscia confirmed after the game that Kendrick "got a little medicine put into him," which is a very vague way of saying the left fielder had a cortisone injection in the right hamstring he injured Thursday afternoon in Seattle.
Kendrick, who leads the team with a .322 average, is not in Sunday's lineup against the Braves, and he probably won't play again until Tuesday night, at the earliest.
Rob Picciolo, bench coach, will manage a big league game from start to finish for the first time in his career as he fills in for Scioscia, who traveled to South Bend, Ind., for his son Matthew's graduation from Notre Dame.
The Angels lineup: 2B Maicer Izturis, SS Erick Aybar, DH Bobby Abreu, RF Torii Hunter, 3B Alberto Callaspo, 1B Mark Trumbo, LF Alexi Amarista, C Jeff Mathis, CF Peter Bourjos, P Tyler Chatwood.
The Braves lineup: CF Nate McLouth, 3B Martin Prado, DH Brian McCann, LF Eric Hinske, 2B Dan Uggla, 1B Freddie Freeman, RF Joe Mather, SS Alex Gonzalez, C David Ross, P Derek Lowe.
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-- Mike DiGiovanna
Photo: Howie Kendrick takes a cut during a home game on Mother's Day. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
