Leyritz Takes Elbow to the Chest

It was not an extremely violent collision--nothing like the Darin Erstad-Mike Macfarlane wreck in Monday night’s game--but Angel catcher Jim Leyritz did not get the best of Kansas City’s Sal Fasano when the Royal catcher ran into Leyritz to score in the eighth inning Wednesday.

Fasano was on second when pinch-hitter Bip Roberts singled to center, and Angel outfielder Orlando Palmeiro’s one-hop throw to the plate was a step or two late.

Leyritz was blocking the plate, but sensing he’d have no play, he stepped to his right at the last second. Fasano jarred the left side of Leyritz’s body, and his elbow appeared to catch Leyritz in the sternum.

Leyritz remained in the game but had difficulty breathing afterward. A precautionary X-ray was negative and Leyritz is day-to-day.

ON DECK

* Opponent--San Diego Padres, two games.

* Site--Anaheim Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 9 tonight, Fox Sports West Friday night.

* Radio--KTZN (710).

* Records--Angels 33-29, Padres 28-35.

* Record vs. Padres--First meeting.

ANGELS’ MATT PERISHO (0-2, 10.22 ERA) vs. PADRES’ HEATH MURRAY (1-0, 5.40 ERA)

* Update--Angel Manager Terry Collins believes National League teams have the advantage in interleague play because they’ll use the designated hitter in American League parks, while Angel pitchers, not accustomed to handling the bats, will have to hit in NL parks. Collins isn’t so much concerned with his pitchers hitting as he is with them running the bases. “They can jam their fingers and wrists sliding,” Collins said. “They can twist their ankles. They can hurt themselves diving back to bags. Our guys will not be taking big leads, I don’t want them doing headfirst slides, and I don’t want them running into catchers.”

* Friday, 7 p.m.--Dennis Springer (4-2, 5.88) vs. Fernando Valenzuela (2-8, 4.75).