BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Sierra’s Streak Reaches 17 Games; Joyner Goes to 12

The Texas Rangers’ Ruben Sierra hit a fifth-inning double to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, equaling the longest in the American League this season. Boston’s Mike Greenwell hit in 17 consecutive games from June 7-26.

The longest hitting streak in the majors this season belongs to San Francisco’s Willie McGee, who hit in 19 consecutive games ending June 15.

The Angels’ Wally Joyner, who earlier this season had a 16-game streak, extended his current streak to 12 games with a fifth-inning single.

The Rangers and the Angels rank first and third in the American League in batting, and together they have four of the top 10 hitters in the league.

The Rangers, batting .275 as a team, have three of them, led by the .331 average of Sierra, who before Saturday’s game was third in the league behind Cal Ripken (.355) and Paul Molitor (.335).

Joyner (.328) was fifth, the Rangers’ Julio Franco (.324) was sixth, and the Rangers’ Rafael Palmeiro (.316) was 10th.

New shirts were being worn by some of the Angels Saturday. “Bench Me or Trade Me,� they demanded on the back. The explanation could be found on the front, which was emblazoned with the word, SCUDS, the reserve players’ self-styled anagram for Sitting Comfortably Until Deployment. The head SCUD of late has been Dave Gallagher, who did not start Saturday but had a double, two runs scored and three walks in five plate appearances Friday.

Gallagher, a reserve outfielder whose .311 batting average is second highest on the team, has a strained right calf.

The Angels have avoided facing Nolan Ryan during this series, but he is scheduled to pitch against them in Arlington, Tex., a week from today, the last game before the All-Star break. That start probably would be contingent on Ryan progressing enough after a cortisone injection he received Thursday to make his planned start Tuesday against Oakland.