Angels’ Torii Hunter expects elbow to be OK
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Despite taking a Chad Billingsley pitch squarely on what he called the ‘not-so-funny bone’ on his left elbow in the fifth inning of the Freeway Series opener Friday night at Dodger Stadium, Angels center fielder Torii Hunter remained in the game and hit a three-run double an inning later.
Hunter said the elbow tightened up in the final two innings of the Angels’ 10-1 victory, but he stayed in center field until the final out. He had the elbow wrapped after the game and said he expected to be OK for Saturday.
Informed he was five for five with 12 runs batted in this season with the bases loaded, Hunter said, ‘Man, I need to go to the casino, definitely. ... It seems like with the bases loaded you try to bear down and drive the ball.’
The Angels have averaged 6.2 runs in the 13 games since first baseman Kendry Morales was lost for the season with a broken bone above his left ankle, with Manager Mike Scioscia saying the increased productivity has resulted from several players breaking out of extended slumps.
‘These guys were going to hit at some point,’ Scioscia said. ‘We feel we can score runs even with Kendry out of the lineup.’
--Ben Bolch