Knee Injury Derails Hundley

Catcher Todd Hundley sat out Tuesday’s 10-4 victory over the Montreal Expos because of a knee injury.

He suffered a strained right medial collateral ligament during Monday’s 10-4 opening-day victory, and his status is listed as day-to-day. Hundley figures he will be ready to play tonight, but Manager Davey Johnson said he plans to proceed cautiously.

Hundley struggled last season while battling elbow and hand pain stemming from 1997 reconstructive elbow surgery. Hundley, who had a solo home run among three hits in the season opener, is too important to the ballclub’s success to risk permitting him to return too soon, Johnson said.

“With a lot of guys, you could put an Ace bandage on it and let him go back out there, but we don’t need to take any chances with him,” the manager said. “We need to keep him as healthy as possible, so you can better believe he won’t be back out there until [team physicians] clear him 100%.”

Team officials and players consider Hundley the key to the club’s season because of his roles handling the pitching staff and providing left-handed power. He is swinging freely again, no longer hampered by sore muscles and nerve damage from the ’97 procedure.

“I can’t even describe how good it feels [to swing a bat] again,” Hundley said. “It feels like fun again after feeling like the game was all work last year, with all the injuries and stuff. That’s why this [knee injury] is real annoying.”

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Reliever Alan Mills slipped on a baseball and suffered a sprained right ankle Monday while jogging at Olympic Stadium. It could be as many as 10 days before he can resume working on the mound because Mills pushes off with his right ankle.

“If it’s going to be a week to 10 days before he can push off, it may be serious enough to [put him on the disabled list] and add another arm,” Johnson said. “But we’ll know more today.”

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Utility player F.P. Santangelo began his career with the Expos in 1995 and Montreal remains among his favorite cities.

He received a standing ovation on returning to Olympic Stadium as a member of the San Francisco Giants last season, and has renewed many friendships during the opening four-game series.

“I broke in here, and it’s nice to know that what you did is still appreciated,” said Santangelo, who played three-plus seasons with the Expos. “I still love the city and the people. It’s just a great place.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ OREL HERSHISER (13-12, 4.58 ERA)

vs.

EXPOS’ JAVIER VAZQUEZ (9-8, 5.00 ERA)

Olympic Stadium, 4 p.m. PDT.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--Hershiser last started a regular-season game for the Dodgers on Aug. 7, 1994, against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He pitched six innings in the victory, giving up two hits and one run. Hershiser, 41, went 1-1 with a 3.52 earned-run average in spring training, securing his spot in the rotation, though the former Dodger playoff hero had the job from the moment he resigned with the club in December. Hershiser, being groomed for a position in management on his retirement, enjoys facing the Expos. In 28 appearances against Montreal, Hershiser is 12-9 with a 2.27 ERA.