Inside Job Falls Through

Lost in the drama Sunday was the mad dash by Angel second baseman Adam Kennedy, who was thrown out at home while attempting an inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning.

Kennedy skied a ball into the right-field corner that had Toronto Blue Jay right fielder Raul Mondesi turning in circles. The ball bounced off the top of the low wall in the corner, then caromed away from Mondesi and Kennedy was off.

“When I saw where the ball went, I thought I had a chance,” Kennedy said.

He sprinted toward third base and was waved home by third base coach Ron Roenicke.

Mondesi retrieved the ball and fired a perfect one-bounce throw to catcher Tom Wilson, who had to wait for Kennedy to arrive before tagging him out.

“That was just Mondesi being 300 feet from home plate and making the perfect throw,” Roenicke said. “What are you going to do?”

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Everything was as Darin Erstad expected Sunday, as he played in his first game since April 19.

“I felt like I hadn’t played in a week,” Erstad said.

“I was rusty, my timing was off. It’s going to take a little time.”

Erstad hadn’t played since suffering a concussion while trying to make a diving catch against Oakland. He was taken to the hospital and sat out seven games.

He was hitless in six at-bats but made two running catches in center field.

“Well, if I didn’t feel well on the first day of spring training, I certainly wasn’t going to feel too good today,” Erstad said.

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After the game, the Angels put reliever Donne Wall on the 15-day disabled list.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Wall had tightness in his right arm. Wall retired all four batters he faced Sunday.

The Angels are expected to fill Wall’s spot today.

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David Eckstein’s grand slam in the 14th inning was the first walk-off grand slam by an Angel since Tim Salmon hit one to beat Cleveland on April 4, 1997.... Garret Anderson had four hits, including two doubles and a triple, and scored two runs Sunday.... The two teams used 38 players--14 pitchers and 24 position players.... Angel starter Scott Schoeneweis went seven innings, giving up three runs.... The Angels begin a six-game trip to Cleveland and Toronto. The first stop is Tuesday against the Indians at Jacobs Field.