ANGELS NOTEBOOK: ERSTAD INJURES HAMSTRING.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

The Angels might be faced with losing Darin Erstad for the rest of the regular season after the first baseman strained his left hamstring in the first inning Wednesday night.

Erstad sliced a groundball inside third and down the left-field line to drive in the Angels' first two runs of the game. But instead of reaching second easily with a double, he was in obvious pain as he struggled to reach first base, holding the back of his leg.

It is the same hamstring Erstad injured Aug. 3 and forced him onto the disabled list for 15 days. But Erstad's reaction Wednesday seemed to indicate this time it was worse. He needed help off the field from trainer Ned Bergert and pitcher Ken Hill.

Erstad will be examined today by Angels medical director Dr. Lewis Yocum.

``It doesn't look good, no,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``There was a lot (of pain). It seems worse (than the injury last month).''

In the meantime, Collins said Chris Pritchett and Gregg Jefferies will split time at first base.

``We'll do what we've done all year long,'' Collins said. ``And that is somebody will step up and get the job done. The big difference is this is when you need your No. 1 guys. It's September, not June. He's one of our best players on the team. We have to hitch the wagons to somebody else and get after it.''

Finley flat: The Angels are happy with the way they played on their East Coast road trip, but it's difficult to imagine they did it without much help from their top starting pitcher Chuck Finley.

Though Finley received two no-decisions in his two starts on the trip, the Angels lost both games - 6-5 to the Yankees in 11 innings on Aug. 28 and 7-6 to the Indians on Tuesday.

In the two games, Finley pitched a total of 9-1/3 innings, allowing eight runs and 16 hits. Hardly the numbers you'd expect from your ace.

``My last start in New York I was tired,'' said Finley, who pitched on three days rest against the Yankees. ``I was doing what I could to get through it. (Tuesday) I felt great. I've got to figure a way to get guys out. My fastball was a little flat. There's no angle on the ball. It's flat in the zone.''

Finley said it's a mechanical flaw that he's dealt with in the past and can be corrected before his next start - Sunday against the Royals in Anaheim.

Despite his occasional struggles this season, as well as being hit twice by line drives on the mound and once in the dugout, Finley is still among the American League's best pitchers. He ranks third in the league with a 3.20 ERA, is tied for second in games started with 30, is fourth in strikeouts with 186 and is ninth in opponents' batting average at .244.

``I've just been trying to grind it out all year,'' he said.