Angels.mlb.com
ANAHEIM -- As if being charged with retiring hitters salivating at the chance to ruin your club's late-game lead wasn't daunting enough, Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez also had to negotiate hazards stemming from the very hill he was standing on.

Summoned from the bullpen to secure a 4-2 lead over Minnesota in the ninth after starter John Lackey conceded his post Saturday, Rodriguez surrendered a walk and a base hit as one unearned run crossed the plate.

Despite successfully converting his 29th save, Rodriguez walked away with an unwanted parting gift -- a sprained right ankle.

The slight sprain was suffered when Rodriguez slipped on a hole that had opened in the slowly deteriorating mound, which prompted two visits from the grounds crew during the contest.

The collapsing hill was thought to be remedied while Lackey was atop it, but a second visit proved necessary in the ninth.

Lackey said he noticed the problem "a couple starts ago" and credited himself with fashioning the hole that abused Rodriguez.

"We've had some issues lately with it," Lackey said after Saturday's 4-3 win. "It's been breaking up a little quick. Hopefully we can get it figured out."

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he didn't believe Rodriguez's ailment was "anything serious," but legitimate surprise was visible on his face when discussing the mound's recent bout of instability.

"Our field is in such great shape," he said. "[Field/ground maintenance manager] Barney [Lopas] does a great job. This is really out of the blue, what's happened, because it's usually one of the best mounds in the league.

"It started to crumble probably about a month ago. Some big pieces started to crumble, but it seemed they got it repaired. It just hasn't maintained its consistency for the whole game. Some games it hasn't been a problem."

See you soon: Sidelined with a broken left leg suffered in winter ball, with brief 90-foot trots forming the extent of his physical activity, outfielder Juan Rivera will make his first rehab start -- or any start, for that matter -- of the season with the Rookie League Arizona Angels on Monday.

The native Venezuelan established career-high marks in average (.310), runs (65), hits (139), home runs (23) and RBIs (85) during his 2006 campaign with the Angels.

"If a guy gets 50-60 at-bats in Spring Training, that's a pretty full Spring Training," Scioscia said. "The way that it's mapped out for Juan right now, barring no setbacks, he'll be in that range by the time we're looking at late August turning into September. There's a strong possibility that he's going to become an option as this thing moves on."

Quotable: "We'll have to ease Mike [Napoli] back in when he's healthy. If we have two catchers that have the same game, and are bringing a terrific game, especially with the defensive end, then that gives us a lot of options. Mike's been terrific on the defense end, terrific at the plate. He's gotten some big hits for us. If he gives us more options, then he gives us more options, but I don't think we have to make that determination now. We'll wait for Mike to be healthy and see where he is." -- Scioscia, on the return of Napoli and how he'll split playing time between the regular starter and Jeff Mathis

Jackin' fools: The Angels lead the American League with 106 stolen bases. They have led the league in stolen bases each of the last three seasons. Should they extend the streak for a fourth year, they would become only the fourth club in Major League history to hold the base-theft title over a four-year span.

This date in Angels history: On Aug. 12, 1996, Nolan Ryan set an AL and club record with 19 strikeouts in a 4-2 win over Boston, breaking Bob Feller's 40-year-old AL record of 18 strikeouts.

On Aug. 12, 2004, Garret Anderson was hit by a pitch for the first time since 1998, a span of 890 games and 3,807 plate appearances.

Exactly one year later, Vladimir Guerrero launched a pair of upper-deck blasts at Safeco Field, becoming the first player to do so at the ballpark during the same contest.

Minor League monsters: Second baseman Casey Smith smoked a three-run walk-off double to lift Triple-A Salt Lake to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Portland Beavers on Saturday.

Kendry Morales' one-out double in the ninth started the rally. He finished with two hits.

Double-A Arkansas left fielder Coby Smith went 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs scored in a 4-3 loss to the San Antonio Missions.

On deck: Joe Saunders (6-0, 3.46) takes his unblemished record to Toronto, where he faces Roy Halladay (13-5, 4.17) to start a three-game set at Rogers Centre on Tuesday at 4:07 p.m. PT.