Angels’ Garrett Richards battles stuff in minor league outing

Reporting from Tempe, Ariz. — Garrett Richards called it a “battle day.”

His pitches were up in the strike zone. He threw his curveball for the first time in a spring game. And he was hit around a bit.

The 23-year-old Angels right-hander gave up six hits and two runs in five innings Wednesday in a triple-A game against Colorado Rockies farmhands.

The Angels were off Wednesday, so Richards was joined in the game by big league catchers Chris Iannetta and Bobby Wilson, outfielder Mike Trout and two other members of the major league roster.

Iannetta caught for the first time since taking a foul ball off the right elbow Friday, contributing a double and run scored. Trout was one for four with a triple and a run.

“I took good things away from today,” Richards said of the 76-pitch outing. “I’m trying to show them I have been working hard … showing them the stuff they might have questions about.”

He said he struck out one batter on a curve, and induced “some ground balls” for outs on it.

Richards probably will assume the No. 5 spot in the rotation April 15 with Jerome Williams recovering from a hamstring strain that has kept him out of spring games.

The other No. 5 candidate, Brad Mills, surrendered a three-run home run Wednesday.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said Williams needs to throw off a mound, and could pitch in a game at the earliest Monday — increasingly a longshot.

Trout’s chances of making the opening-day roster also appear unlikely. Scioscia said it could be 10 days before his recovery from shoulder tendinitis will allow him to play outfield.

The Angels’ roster shrunk to 38, as they assigned first baseman Efren Navarro, outfielder Kole Calhoun and pitcher Ryan Brasier to the minors.

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